Public kindergarten in the last 12 years has experienced five positive trends: (1) more children have access; (2) local funding and control have increased; (3) more five-year-olds attend for longer hours; (4) states hire more experienced teachers; and (5) more states require schooling at age five. (CJH)

Students who eventually drop out of school have a long-term disadvantage in becoming productive citizens. The traditionally structured U.S. high school system does not facilitate high school education for at-risk students. Some schools, however, do organize themselves around the needs of the at-risk student population. This study analyzed the…

Article compared the truancy rates of nine schools and investigated the influence schools have on attendance, social attitudes and delinquency. (Editor/RK)

The present trend of introducing education programs into correctional settings is likely to continue. There appear to be benefits to the institution, to the individual, and to society. Given the atmosphere of custodial institutions, it may be difficult to consistently attract really good staff. (BRR)

Studied the effect of gaming as an approach to reducing employee absenteeism. A longitudinal study in a small manufacturing plant, showed significant improvement in employee attitude and cooperation due to the opportunity for communication. Operant conditioning also resulted in somewhat lower absenteeism and tardiness. (Author/JAC)

Reviews a study of relationships between persistence over a three-year period and selected characteristics of Virginia community college students who were undecided about a major or without degree goals. Persistence was significantly related to race, sex, full-/part-time status, and final major. The job market influenced curricular choices and…

The study compares school absence in children known to have asthma (N=95) with a random sample of nonasthmatic elementary school children (N=711). Children with asthma have a significantly higher absentee rate (absent 8.4 percent of days) than do nonasthmatic children (absent 5.9 percent of days). Journal Availability: American Academy of…

A national study in Australia compared characteristics of students entering nursing education directly after secondary school and those delaying entry, for two cohorts (n=1,551 in 1987-90, n=2,295 in 1995). Results show significant differences in direct vs. delayed entry patterns between males and females, in geographic location (rural/urban) of…

Reviews enrollment data showing that in 1988-89, 33 percent of Arizona State University bachelor's degree graduates were transfer students from one or more of the Maricopa Community Colleges, though most did not transfer in a traditional linear pattern. Describes "swirling" patterns of concurrent enrollment, reverse transfer, etc.…

Results of a study involving 300 high school and middle school students indicated that students whose homes were called with a computer dialing device when the child was absent from school had a better overall attendance record than students whose homes were not called. (IAH)

Gives detailed suggestions for adult educators on course and session evaluation, analysis of attendance and dropout, self-evaluation, and student assessment. (SK)

Since the 1960s, many colleges and universities have shortened their school years. Driven by debate about the quality of undergraduate education and about whether students are getting their money's worth in college, some institutions are reexamining their academic calendars. Practical considerations, including student attendance patterns, make…

Contingency contracting and group counseling were provided to 26 mildly to moderately handicapped middle school students with high rates of truancy. Subjects exhibited attendance gains after treatment; gains were not maintained at followup but attendance rates were still higher than the rates of control students. Measures of academic performance…

Introduces a method of examining college enrollment patterns that is unlike the traditional cohort models currently used. The student flow matrix model can track student retention and attrition within the institution, and can also help the administrator identify key relationships between and among specific student-flow characteristics. (MSE)