A series of studies were conducted at San Jose City College (SJCC) in San Jose, California, to evaluate the persistence of three groups of new mathematics students entering Arithmetic, Algebra, and Intermediate Algebra courses in the fall of 1988. In particular, the studies examined students' persistence from the initial mathematics course,…

A series of studies were conducted at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, California, to evaluate the persistence of three groups of new mathematics students entering Arithmetic, Algebra, and Intermediate Algebra courses in the fall of 1988. In particular, the studies examined students' persistence from the initial mathematics course,…

This study examines the relative stability and change in ethnic students' (Asian, Black, and Hispanic) social and academic expectations during their first year at the University of Massachusetts. The paper investigates how students' expectations were met by their actual experiences and whether students of different racial or ethnic categories…

Sixth in Piedmont Virginia Community College's (PVCC's) annual series, this student retention study was conducted to provide collegewide retention rates aggregated by a variety of institutional and student characteristics, and to ascertain major differences between returning and non-returning students. Official end-of-term data for the 1990-91…

A project examined the interface between schools and technical and further education (TAFE) in Australia and between schools and post-school vocational education in other countries. It focused on the effect of increased retention to year 12 on TAFE curricula. Information was gathered through a literature search, interviews with curriculum staff,…

Suffolk Community College Eastern Campus (SCCEC) designed and implemented a retention program built on the belief that access for students does not necessarily lead to success. The goal of the retention program was to increase retention of students by providing them with the skills and supports necessary to succeed. The group targeted for the…

The California New Teacher Project (CNTP) has demonstrated that intensive support, continued training, and informative assessments of teachers in their first professional years result in better instruction for students and higher retention rates for teachers. The 37 projects of CNTP were funded on the basis of their plans to implement alternative…

An overview is provided of Arapahoe Community College's (ACC's) efforts to improve undergraduate education and the success of those efforts. After outlining changes made in the transfer, vocational education, and developmental studies programs, the report identifies new strategies that have been adopted to disseminate information about…

This paper presents a four-fold typology developed as a general theory of student motivation to stay in school and work hard at learning tasks. Each of the four-fold categories is described with an initial statement of the specific source of student motivation, an analysis of how the source fits in more general motivational theories, and how the…

This study evaluated Vincent Tinto's longitudinal model for student attrition by examining recent college dropouts' perceptions of their experiences and their decision to leave college. Tinto's model argues that individual departure arises from a longitudinal process of interaction between a student's attributes, skills, dispositions, and other…

Interviews with 74 Maori teachers in New Zealand who had resigned from teaching and with 23 other educators examined issues in the retention of Maori teachers. Former Maori teachers are described in terms of: (1) gender and geographical distribution; (2) type of teacher training; (3) colleges of education attended; (4) level of educational…

A study was conducted to identify the environmental conditions and relationships between external and institutional conditions that have a significant effect upon student transfer activity. A sample of 78 colleges in 15 states were selected from institutions participating in a national transfer project; 42% were located in Texas or California. The…

In 1991, a study was conducted to provide a demographic profile of Colorado's community college faculty; to determine their retirement intentions; to predict the percent of faculty retiring over the next 14 years; to ascertain those incentives most favorable for retaining the services of faculty beyond their retirement eligibility; and to…

This paper presents a theoretical discussion of how students make educational behavior decisions including attending a given institution, transferring, or dropping out. The theory is seen to apply to students of all ages and both sexes with implications for all areas of postsecondary education. The theory holds that educational decisions are based…

In 1986, the New York City Public Schools adopted a cohort methodology for determining dropout and graduation rates. The Class of 1990 was the primary cohort studied in this report; it was the fifth cohort to be studied for at least 4 years using this methodology. Follow-ups are reported for three preceding classes. The 1990 cohort, who entered…