A multiple regression was used to predict the grade in which secondary school dropouts would leave school. Predictors were twenty measures drawn from sixth grade records. It was concluded that a construct labelled "level of educational attainment" is the best determinant of both whether and when a student will drop out. (Author/JKS)

Examines student perceptions about dropping out of school through single-session interviews with four former students, one female and three males. Includes brief profiles of each student, a summary of their school records, and reports of extensive interviews with the four students. Draws implications for dropout-prevention policy and practice.…

Reviews four current books on the dropout problem. Two are termed state of the art, but all are limited because the needs of at-risk students are numerous, the programs for them are diverse, and theories of student engagement are not yet well developed. (DM)

Presents five goals of a policy and research agenda for dropout prevention: (1) to develop commonly accepted definition of dropout; (2) to improve methods of pupil accounting; (3) to separate causes and identifiers of at-risk behavior; (4) to analyze relevance of questions asked about at-risk youth; and (5) to engage in institutional…

Eleven second-year college students, representing various characteristics of the student population, were interviewed on issues related to school persistence. Major factors relating to attrition or persistence for second-year students included: (1) adjustment to stress; (2) grade satisfaction; (3) time management; (4) financial management; and (5)…

Using Tinto's (1975) model of dropping out or persisting, examined the perceived experiences of university students with disabilities. Data were gathered through a questionnaire, narrative interview, and focus group. Found that background characteristics and academic integration were more important to persistence than social integration. Goal…

Students with disabilities who dropped out of high school (n=60) cited more school factors (lack of academic success, suspension, peer problems) than personal factors (motivation, pregnancy, family problems) influencing dropout. Three-fourths suggested improved communication with teachers, flexible scheduling, and more relevance would decrease…

Over the last decade, between 347,000 and 544,000 10th- through 12th-grade students left school each year without successfully completing a high school program Status dropout rates represent the proportion of young people ages 16 through 24 who are out of school and who have not earned a high school credential. Status rates are higher than event…

A serious difficulty in determining the importance of credit constraints in education arises because standard data sources do not provide a direct way of identifying which students are credit constrained. This has forced researchers to adopt a variety of indirect approaches. This paper differentiates itself from previous work by taking a direct…

Knowledge of variables that predict treatment time is of benefit in deciding when to start treatment for early stuttering. To date, the only variable clearly related to treatment time with the Lidcombe Program is pre-treatment stuttering frequency. Previous studies have shown that children whose stuttering is more severe take longer to complete…

Dropping out of high school culminates a long-term process of disengagement from school and has profound social and economic consequences for students, their families, and their communities. Students who drop out of high school are more likely to be unemployed, to earn less than those who graduate, to be on public assistance, and to end up in…

The impact of academic programs--such as developmental mathematics programs--on student retention, has been a controversial topic for administrators, policy makers, and faculty in higher education. Despite deep interest in the effectiveness of these programs in retaining students, scholars have been unable to determine whether such programs have a…

Annually, a statewide school dropout study is conducted in New Mexico. The purpose of the study is to gather and publish information bearing on the extent and nature of the dropout problem in New Mexico public schools. Data on the grade, sex, ethnicity, and reason for dropping out were collected for students who prematurely discontinued their…

A questionnaire was administered to students who withdrew from two academic institutions - a teachers' college and a state university - to study their reasons for leaving. The most important reason for students' withdrawal was their feeling that the institution did not offer an academic experience that met their personal objectives. (Author)

THE REASONS STUDENTS DROP OUT OF COLLEGE WERE EXPLORED. THE SUBJECTS WERE 250 FULL-TIME STUDENTS WHO HAD WITHDRAWN FROM COLLEGE DURING ONE SEMESTER. EACH SUBJECT COMPLETED A FORM LISTING A VARIETY OF REASONS FOR WITHDRAWAL. THE STUDENTS WERE ALSO ASKED TO TALK WITH A COUNSELOR AT THEIR CONVENIENCE. FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEW, THE COUNSELOR COMPLETED…