This article discusses the role of secondary level vocational-technical education as a logical approach to dropout prevention among students with disabilities or other special needs. It urges transitional planning teams to consider students' needs of services, agency providers, and community and labor market factors. (Contains references.) (DB)

The students quoted in this paper attend New Rush Hall Pupil Referral Unit, an alternative high school for disaffected students in Redbridge, east London. Rose is 16 and in her final year of high school. Her previous school records document numerous instances of challenging/violent behaviour, spitting, screaming and shouting. She has been arrested…

This study explored relationships between Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Outcome Expectations and Intention Certainty. Intention Certainty is a new variable created for this study and comprised of existing conceptions of intention and decision certainty. The purpose of this study was fourfold. This study attempted to expand our understanding of…

In this paper, we examine the antecedents and consequences of timing in the transition from high school to college. Using the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88), we find that 16 percent of high school graduates postpone enrollment by seven months or more after completing high school. Delayers tend to have some common…

In spite of the growing body of political and intellectual rhetoric regarding student success in the academy, the need has never been greater to redefine where the burden of responsibility lies to ensure such success. For the past 10 years, politicians, educators, policymakers and all the essential stakeholders in higher education have heralded…

The evolution in students' expectations based on Maslow's theory of human motivation shows a transition from expectations having an effect upon motivation towards those providing a satisfactory experience. Maslow's argument was that once the lower level needs, such as physiological and safety needs, are met other higher needs emerge. In the…

Military-style residential treatment for adolescents with academic and conduct problems is an increasingly popular alternative to traditional school-based services. However, dropout from "boot camp" programs is a primary reason for their high cost. Social-emotional functioning before referral may differentiate adolescents who…

In this article, Anane Olatunji examines the effects of work experience on early high school attrition among Mexican-origin adolescents. He proposes a theoretical model that takes assimilation into account as a potential predictor of the consequences of work for this group. In order to estimate the effects of eighth-grade work experience on…

When Benedict College president Dr. David Swinton noticed the nagging underperformance of his students, he instituted a new grading policy, which has become controversial. But Swinton says the policy could save remedial students, putting them back on track. When Swinton noticed the nagging underperformance of students, and especially the high…

Their missions are painfully clear--raise test scores, reduce the number of dropouts, and narrow the achievement gap separating white and minority students. The consequences of failure are equally clear--denial of school accreditation, state takeover, school closure, and diminished hopes and dreams for struggling communities. Such is the world of…

Logistic regression is employed to develop a model that enhances early identification of freshmen at risk of attrition. Independent variables employed to predict attrition include demographics; high school experiences; and attitudes, opinions, and values as reported on a survey administered during freshman orientation. Model and results are…

Few studies examine whether financial aid affects college retention. This paper uses University of Oregon data to examine financial aid's affect on retention net of uniquely detailed enrollee attributes and conditioned on unobserved enrollee attributes identified by jointly modeling retention and enrollment. The results show that need- and…

To reflect academic challenges and enrollment patterns of today's freshmen, this study measures the impact of high school preparation, first-year academic performance, multi-institution enrollment, and financial aid support on second-year persistence. Using multi-year cohorts at a public research university, results confirm the importance of…

Research on the intersection of racial and gender identities is important in understanding the processes of school engagement. This article focuses on how African-American male adolescents move in and out of schooling and make sense of those experiences. By examining how they construct meanings of masculinity a textured and complex trajectory of…

Free primary education was introduced to Malawi in 1994, and it led to an increase in enrollment of one million pupils. The present contribution gathers case studies of 10 schools which sought information on the general conditions of communities and schools as well as on enrollment, resources, staffing, absenteeism etc. The results highlight the…