The program was designed for 13- to 17-year-old at risk adolescents, those individuals who are experiencing difficulties at school, home and/or work. Their main characteristics are a lack of self-control and self-confidence, aggressive behavior, and either little or unrealistic thought about their future. The primary outcomes or aims of the…

The Portsmouth (New Hampshire) Alternative Secondary School (PASS) has been developed for at-risk students who need a self-contained educational program with a community educational approach. This model program is based on the need for students to experience individual growth and success in the areas of academics, therapeutics, behavior…

In spring 1992, Charles County Community College (CCCC) conducted a telephone survey of non-returning fall 1991 students to determine their reasons for not returning to CCCC. In order to obtain comparison data, a questionnaire designed and administered by Prince George's Community College (PGCC) (Largo, Maryland) in 1988 was used with one minor…

This study was designed to ascertain the dropout rates among American Indian students in three local secondary schools on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Lame Deer, Montana and to identify factors that contributed to school completion or noncompletion. The researchers collected data on three cohorts of students (1987-89, N=698) from Colstrip…

Using linked individual and census tract data from the 1980 U.S. Census, it is found that when a teenage boy drops out of school depends not only on his family background and the increase in earnings associated with graduating, but also on the characteristics of the neighborhood in which he lives. Both the good and bad dimensions of neighborhood…

Leaving school early has a dramatic impact on Hispanic girls, because Latinas face greater barriers than males when seeking high-wage jobs and opportunities in postsecondary education. This Digest examines how gender roles, families, schools, and friends influence Latinas in their education and career decisions, and outlines practical dropout…

This 1990 survey on American Indian education was conducted among 511 Native American tribal leaders, 227 (44.4%) of whom responded. The study found that 92% of Indian children attend state public schools. Fewer than 10% of Indian children attend Bureau of Indian Affairs Schools or tribally-operated schools. Only 52% of Indian students graduate…

This report summarizes two joint sessions held by the Indian Nations At Risk Task Force and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education to hear testimony on issues in Native American education at the middle school and high school levels. Issues and problems are: (1) factors contributing to high Native dropout rates, including teenage…

In 1988, a National Dropout Statistics Task Force (comprised of representatives from 27 states, 3 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia) was created to work with the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to develop procedures for uniform counting of dropouts and dropout rate reporting. A standard definition was constructed for…

Summaries of 73 conference presentations dealing with youth at risk are divided into 6 sections, as was the conference. Section 1 "Understanding Students at Risk," identifies a variety of human services and insights along with suggested procedures for prediction and identification of youth at risk. Section 2, "Preventing and Reducing Incidents of…

This paper on postsecondary outcomes illustrates a technique to determine whether or not mainstream models are appropriate for predicting educational outcomes of American Indians (AIs) and Alaskan Native (ANs). It introduces a prominent statistical procedure to assess models with empirical data and shows how the results can have implications for…

The National Household Education Survey (NHES) was conducted for the first time in 1991 as a way to collect data on the early childhood education experiences of young children and participation in adult education. Because the NHES methodology is relatively new, field tests were necessary. A large field test of approximately 15,000 households was…

This newsletter describes mentoring programs that have been successful in improving the academic achievement of at-risk Hispanic American youth. "Mentoring Programs Bring Results" (L. F. Cavazos) discusses how mentoring programs can help Hispanic American youth develop the skills needed for success while preserving their cultural…

A study examined dropout data from the 1980 Census and the October 1980, 1982, 1984, and 1985 federal population surveys to assess differences in the dropout and delayed schooling rates for males and females; Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics; and various age groups from 16 to 34. Principal findings include the following: the dropout rate for all…

Although the emphasis on adult literacy/basic education is increasing, the high dropout rate from programs in these areas is a concern. Why learners choose to participate or not to participate in such programs can be understood in terms of three sets of factors. Learner-inherent factors include self-evaluation, goals, and capabilities. Life…