This study explores whether propensity score methods produce unbiased estimates of program impacts by comparing experimental and propensity score impacts of dropout prevention programs on four student outcomes (dropping out, absenteeism, educational aspirations, and self-esteem). It also estimates the standard error of propensity score impacts…

Policymakers, educators, and researchers recognize the importance of community colleges as open door institutions that provide a wide range of students with access to college. At the same time, competing demands for the state funds that would support community colleges have resulted in reduced public allocations and higher student tuition fees.…

This digest explores truancy in the urban context, examines the different types and reasons for truancy, and reviews the new ways that researchers and intervention programs are addressing this problem. No national data on truancy rates exist, but many larger cities report staggeringly high rates. The relationship between race or income and truancy…

The author calls attention to the attendance counselor and the role he plays in the guidance team. (BY)

A study of transcripts of adult students and younger counterparts to examine patterns of credit load, stopping out, and the flow from special student status to matriculant is presented. Results support earlier findings about academic achievement, and presents new evidence that adult students' pace is generally brisker than previously assumed. (MSE)

Four indices of achievement relative to a measure of general intelligence were constructed for a sample of 178 adolescents. Measures of achievement were taken from tests in reading comprehension and mathematics, from an English essay, and from the results of public examinations at 16+. (Author)

This paper presents data from the Inner London Education Authority Literacy Survey on the reading attainment of Black British students. Black British attainment was significantly lower at the age of eight years, and by school-leaving age was relatively lower still. Attainment was only marginally affected by length of education. (CT)

Three procedures to modify excessive absenteeism were implemented by an elementary school principal and assessed with an across-subjects multiple baseline design. Intervention with parents, approval for attendance, and disapproval for absences produced sustained increases in attendance and parent-initiated contacts with the school. (Author)

Investigates the relationship between student absenteeism during a principles of microeconomics course and subsequent performance on examinations. Finds that students who missed class on a given date were significantly more likely to respond incorrectly to questions relating to material covered that day than students who attended class. (RLH)

Describes how the Minneapolis Public Schools, Minnesota, identified system-wide standards and practices to help all students achieve the goal of 95 percent attendance, an especially difficult goal for highly mobile students. The Kids Mobility Study in Minneapolis documents the connection between residential mobility and student achievement and…

Offers an historical analysis of schooling patterns in the Tullylish (Ireland) parish between 1860-1900 to provide understanding of the social forces that promoted denominationalism. Concludes that terms of religious tolerance were constructed by Protestant elites perpetuating Protestant privilege and excluding Catholics from full participation in…

A survey of 14 colleges and universities gathered information on the activities of trustees, including frequency of meetings, trustee assignments, meeting attendance rate, cumulative hours spent in meetings, additional committees, travel to meetings, and percentage of governing board members who held faculty appointments. (MSE)

Examined career academy student outcomes for 18 cohorts of entering students enrolled in 8 urban schools nationwide, analyzing attendance, grades, and graduation status. Compared to what would have been expected of the same students in the same schools' general academic programs, career academy students had higher first-year grade point averages,…

The aim of this study was to identify and re-present the experiences and views of a sample of children who have been 'missing' from education, and those of their parents/carers. Access to this hard to reach population has been possible as a result of an innovative interventionist tracking system, responding to pupil mobility, developed by the…