An exploratory study investigated the issues of nonparticipation and program attrition in adult basic education (ABE)literacy programs in the province of British Columbia (Canada). Literature was reviewed and opinions were sought from ABE professionals and other field workers. Seven literacy classes were visited, 66 persons from several different…

The DELTA program of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas) is an open-entry, open-exit competency-based diploma program in 10 high schools that is designed to help recover former dropouts and to prevent students who are at risk from dropping out. Instruction in the program is individualized and self-paced, but goals for the DELTA…

This interim report evaluates the implementation of the "House Plan," a plan to create small personalized schools within the 110 large comprehensive high schools in New York (New York) by subdividing all ninth grades into separate units. This evaluation covers only the 37 "dropout prevention" high schools which had been…

This study describes dropout prevention strategies used by social service and school personnel in the Stay-In-School Partnership Project (SSPP), analyzes longitudinal statistical data generated by the 3-year program, and proposes a model for conceptualizing and implementing a dropout prevention program for at-risk minority students. SSPP is a…

This journal issue discusses student attrition and the major recurring themes regarding students withdrawing from college. It is revealed that less than 15 percent of student departures are as a result of academic dismissal, with the remaining students leaving voluntarily, even when their academic performance is clearly acceptable. The following…

This paper describes LEARNing Visions, a K-12 intervention program for at-risk youth in Jackson County, Tennessee, involving a partnership between the schools, local businesses, Tennessee Technological University, and Visions Five (a private company). Jackson County is characterized by an undereducated population, a high employment rate, and a low…

Research may be divided into two types, "empowering" research and "academic" research. Empowering research seeks to determine how a particular individual or organization can produce a desired result, while academic research is concerned with why a particular condition exists. While academic research might ask "Why do students drop out of school?"…

In an effort to evaluate the academic persistence and performance of all 271 fall 1989 first-time college students and first-time transfer students at Mendocino College (MC), the students' academic histories were analyzed for 4 sequential semesters from fall 1989 through spring 1991. In addition, students who persisted were compared with students…

The influence of summer experiences on the re-enrollment pattern of students at the City University of New York was studied. Students who began as first-time freshmen in fall 1978 were evaluated over a 2-year period. Information was available for 21,079 students; however, 1,466 students who completed associate degrees during the study period were…

The Open University of the United Kingdom is acknowledged as the most successful distance education program yet designed. High among the reasons for its success is the student support service provided by the Regional Tutorial Services, a department of the Open University administrative structure which has received little acclaim. This paper shows…

This testimony was presented by the chairperson of the board of directors of one of the largest national Hispanic organizations before a Senate Republican Task Force on Hispanic Affairs. The following key points are presented: (1) low educational attainment and literacy severely limit the economic opportunities of Hispanics and place a strain on a…

The California Partnership Academies Program is a highly successful school/business collaboration that allows students who are at risk of not graduating from high school to see clearly the connection between school and the workplace. The following key components are discussed: (1) an at-risk student population made up largely of the educationally…

This practicum was designed by a curriculum development administrator to develop positive attitudes in at-risk 7th-9th grade students in a drop prevention school in Florida. The school was located in a small town in an agricultural county whose population was predominantly black and of low socioeconomic status. The number of students varied from…

This document is a set of resource summaries for educators of students at risk compiled by the nine regional educational laboratories. The summaries are divided into papers, programs, and technical assistance services. Student characteristics, effective remedial instruction strategies, and urban programs are emphasized. The 44 papers are published…

California's Partnership Academies, which are conducted under the sponsorship of the state and aimed at dropout prevention for at-risk high school students, combine a modified curriculum and structure with the following elements: (1) a student selection process designed to enroll students with potential, but whose past performance places them at…