Discusses institutional practices that spring from empirically grounded forces that influence students' social integration and retention. Presents 20 recommendations for implementation in 8 domains of institutional practice: academic advising, administrative policies and practices, enrollment management, faculty development, faculty reward system,…

Classifies 47 recommendations gleaned from the articles appearing in this special issue according to their consistency with Tinto's three principles of effective student retention. Orders recommendations by the institutional domain most likely to implement them. Views the recommendations as multiple, powerful levers to reduce college student…

This paper presents a report on students who decided to drop out of the BSc program offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). This study was designed to determine the reasons leading to students' decisions to withdraw from the program. Identified and reported in this study are nine major reasons leading to drop out. Results of…

This article reports research concerned with understanding the factors that influence the decision of young males to withdraw from their studies in certificate courses at a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) College in Western Australia. The research focused on males aged between 17 and 21 years and their reasons for either dropping out of or…

Recent studies have argued that there is a dropout crisis in the U.S. But the authors in this article, find that this contention is based on flawed analyses of inadequate data. Using a much wider range of sources, they conclude that the situation is not nearly so dire as is commonly believed. (Contains 14 endnotes.)

Data from the Balearic Islands (Spain) on the number of young people dropping out of the education system with no formal qualification and on the general level of education of the young population as a whole indicate that this region is not on a par with most of the other regions in Spain and the European Union as a whole. The regional government…

KIDS COUNT is a national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the U.S. By providing policymakers and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being, KIDS COUNT seeks to enrich local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children. This 18th annual 2007 KIDS COUNT Data Book examines…

High school dropout rates in many major urban settings in the United States have remained above 50% for more than three decades. This dropout crisis should now be considered evidence of an endemic lack of appreciation for formal education in city locales. United States federal policy initiatives have concentrated the nation on notions of teacher…

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) "Special Education at a Glance," which includes a copy of the "Guide to Planning and Assessing School-Based Special Education Programs," provides in a single document, information about the special education population at each Montgomery County (Maryland) public school, including…

This "Report Card to the Public" is published in accordance with Alaska Statute 14.03.120 for the school year 2011-2012. Under state law, each school district is required to report information about its plans and performance to its community. This report includes a statewide summary of performance results. It reports the status of public…

This report has been provided to the Legislature on an annual basis since 2000 when the legislature amended the language of G.L. c. 71B to align Massachusetts special education terminology with the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" ("IDEA"). The Department is required to submit an annual report on compliance…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Time to "Learn": Comprehensive Literacy Bill Introduced in Congress; (2) "Teaching for a New…

Summer Training and Education Program (STEP) is a summer employment, academic remediation, and life skills program intended to lower school dropout rates by reducing summer learning loss and preventing teen parenthood. The program is integrated into the federal summer jobs program and is offered during six-to-eight-week sessions in two consecutive…

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of piano teacher training in Taiwan. A survey questionnaire and two groups of interviewees facilitated research to conduct the study. The information gained from survey questionnaires documents the content of undergraduate piano pedagogy courses in Taiwanese universities and colleges. The…

Non-completion of senior secondary schooling continues to be a matter of concern for policy makers and practitioners in Australia today. Despite the efforts of governments to improve participation and retention rates, 30% of students drop out of school before completing Year 12. Further, some students remain at school, just biding their time until…