The High School and Beyond survey collected experiences of dropouts and high school graduates. Researchers compared dropping out to personal, social, and labor market experiences four years after projected graduation date. Dropouts differed from graduates in personal and social adjustment but not self-esteem. Male and female dropouts had different…

In-depth, structured interviews were conducted over a two-year period with four young adults (previously identified as learning disabled) who had dropped out of high school. Their stories cast doubt on the idea that dropouts are necessarily "failures" but suggest serious shortcomings in the secondary education programing and the transition…

Evaluates tutorial program and a combined tutorial and counseling program. Effects on achievement, self-esteem, and classroom behavior of middle school students (N=135) at risk of dropping out are examined. Discussion includes implications for counselors. "Outline for Training Tutors" and example plans for group-counseling sessions are appended.…

Reviews research on two programs designed to reduce dropout rates and four designed to increase college attendance among at-risk students in middle and high schools. Successful programs emphasized creating meaningful bonds between students and teachers, connecting students to the future, providing jobs and academic assistance, and giving students…

Builds on the assumption that colleges and universities are organizations and subsequently that the organizational perspective provides important insights for improving retention on campuses. A review of existing organizational studies of undergraduate persistence serves as the basis for ten empirically-based recommendations for practice that are…

Examines five shibboleths (common ideas) about the relationship between campus culture and student persistence. Describes a six-step approach for using the peer group and classroom as key elements in cultivating a success-oriented institutional culture. (Author/EV)

Theorizes about interrelations between "rites of passage" in Tinto's (1993) Student Integration Model, and support from significant others in Nora and Cabrera's (1996) Student Adjustment Model. Depicts how both sets of factors impact social and academic experiences and integration, commitment levels to attainment of an educational goal…

Although much is written about reasons why students drop out of online courses, little is said about what makes them stay. This article reports on an experiment whereby online students were exposed to a learning experience modelled on the US television series "Survivor." Twenty-four students were put into "tribes" and allowed…

This article describes a successful alternative school located in northwest Wyoming. Students who attend this school need an atmosphere that is accepting of their differences and allows them to express themselves without fear of ridicule or punishment. These children are looking for a safe, secure place to complete their education, a place where…

The 11th International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM 2018) is held under the auspices of the International Educational Data Mining Society at the Templeton Landing in Buffalo, New York. This year's EDM conference was highly competitive, with 145 long and short paper submissions. Of these, 23 were accepted as full papers and 37…

The story of the Dropout Prevention Initiative (DPI) of the New York City Schools illuminates the obstacles, incentives, and inventions that can come into play in a large city school system's effort to strengthen its effectiveness for at-risk students. The Board of Education commissioned an external evaluation of the DPI in 13 comprehensive high…

The at-risk students served by vocational education include academically disadvantaged students, dropouts, students with limited English proficiency (LEP), pregnant teens, single parents, migrants, economically disadvantaged students, handicapped students, and potential dropouts. The claim that the U.S. economy is healthy because unemployment is…

This directory was developed in response to requests for information on alternative programs for dropouts and potential dropouts. The scope of the dropout problem in Iowa is defined. Presented are definitions of dropout prevention alternative programs as well as a detailed account of useful prevention approaches. The directory includes needs…

A study analyzed the cost of the Career Intern Program (CIP). (The CIP is an alternative high school designed to enable disadvantaged and alienated dropouts or potential dropouts to earn regular high school diplomas, to prepare them for meaningful employment or postsecondary education, and to facilitate their transition from school to work by…

The federal requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have placed a new focus on increasing graduation rates and reducing dropout rates. While the dropout problem has generated research and new programs over the last 30 years, the dropout rate has remained relatively unchanged. Students drop out of school for many reasons, and the…