The Northern California Research Project on Student Attrition, or NORCAL, represents the cooperative effort of 22 junior colleges. The purposes of the project are to identify school dropouts, reasons for their withdrawing, and possible solutions for some of the problems. (BB)

This investigation of reasons for adult student dropout suggests that only a minority of students blame the school for their withdrawal from the course. The author argues, however, that there are measures which should be taken to retain students. (Author/SK)

Responses from Australian reentry students (1233 of 2278) and 66 of 80 institutions were used to develop a profile of dropout characteristics, living conditions, employment status, and reasons for reentry. Improved data collection on dropouts, a preventive focus in grades 10-11, and adoption of innovative reentry program practices were…

Conducted study to describe dropout phenomenon from the student's point of view. Interviews with 400 dropouts revealed that dropping out of school had enormous economic impact on students. Findings suggest that the personal and social consequences of dropping out extend to all sectors of society. Interaction between school personnel and students…

Obtained qualitative data from 374 urban high school dropouts during interviews. Female and male respondents from five ethnic groups answered questions concerning their dropout history, reasons for leaving school, feelings about various aspects of high school experience, past and present activities, academic and general future plans, reflections…

Introduces this special issue of the journal, describing the psychological scholarship that must underlie efforts of school psychologists to assist in drop-out prevention. Describes the complex understanding of high school completion that emerged from the Interdivisional Task Force on School Dropout Prevention, and the implications this has for…

There are many reasons why students drop out of school, and therefore, it requires more than a single solution to prevent it from occurring. According to the National Dropout Prevention Center, career and technical education should be included as part of the overall solution. This article is divided into the following sections: A Model Program;…

It is important for educators to recognise that the various calls to decentre the subject--or self--should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring the removal of the subject altogether. Through the individualism of the Enlightenment the self was centred. This highly individualistic notion of the sovereign self has now been decentred especially…

This study, part of a larger project on doctoral student attrition, presents an in-depth account of the educational experiences of three doctoral students who dropped out. The students, a woman in sociology who left after the first year, a man in psychology who completed all but a dissertation, and a woman in Art History who left after four years…

This report describes methodology and results of a study to determine the nature and extent of the high school dropout problem in the Appalachian region and to explore characteristics of existing programs dealing with dropout problems in the region. Data aggregation complicated by lack of standardization in reporting numbers of dropouts and…

Objectives of phase II of a study were (1) to run a pilot program to predict potential dropouts and assist them to overcome obstacles which might cause them to leave school and (2) to establish a system to immediately obtain needed information from dropouts. An instrument to identify potential dropouts was selected and students were divided into…

The first chapter of the literature review describes the Career Intern Program (CIP), a cooperative career education venture of the Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America and two Philadelphia high schools, which is composed of three steps: career awareness (general orientation, development, motivation); career exploration (academic…

This paper reviews research on best practices for preventing students with mild disabilities from dropping out of high school. Findings from the literature review indicate there is a consensus among the researchers that warning signs for school dropout among students with mild disabilities include: poor attendance, academic difficulties,…

State Education Agencies (SEAs) lead the charge for effective change, impact, and sustainability in the adoption and implementation of programs and practices that promote school completion. Steps taken by state and local education agencies to decrease dropout include (a) collection, analysis, and public reporting of "dropout" rates and related…