A study of nontraditional postsecondary students revealed that Tinto's Model for explaining dropout was applicable to these students but that it could be made more comprehensive for nontraditional students by considering pressures external to the educational setting. (Author/MLW)

Results, limitations, and policy recommendations emerging from a series of four studies of the attendance patterns, achievement, and persistence of freshmen and transfer students new to the three Regents' Universities of Iowa in the academic years 1960-61, 1965-66, 1970-71, and 1975-76 are reported. (MSE)

Followup studies of former students provide important information for higher education institutions. Careful planning, early involvement of users of the information, and multiple data presentation strategies are some keys to success for such studies. (MSE)

A study of the factors influencing tenured faculty to leave an institution found a variety of determinants in faculty decisions. However, it illustrated how little is known about the specific factors influencing individual decisions, especially those that distinguish faculty who leave from those who remain. (MSE)

Reports on a study of the relationship among community college students' intentions at college entrance, satisfaction with the college experience, and reasons for leaving. Suggests that dissatisfaction with the college experience was related to the decision to withdraw for half of the leavers. Discusses implications for retention. (AYC)

The following variables concerning school-leaving among language minority youth are discussed: background factors, academic achievement, school characteristics, school performance, and school experiences. A combination of socioeconomic disadvantage and early academic failure appear to contribute to the higher dropout rate of language minority…

Interview data from 98 Black adolescent males in Columbus, Ohio, indicate that those who are fathers or who do not believe they have control of their destiny (an attitude more prevalent among fathers that nonfathers) are more likely to be school dropouts than others. Educational implications are discussed. (CJM)

The Italian university system is currently characterized by lack of institutional diversity, enrollment contraction, an increasing dropout rate and part-time student population, tenured-in faculty at all levels, and declining faculty productivity. Although both students and faculty recognize these problems, neither is moving to solve them. (MSE)

This essay, taken from the 2004 KIDS COUNT Data Book, focuses on the issues surrounding America's most at-risk young adults. For most American youth, the transition to adulthood inspires a mix of excitement and high anxiety. There is excitement about taking steps to realize emerging dreams, aspirations, and possibilities. Yet there is anxiety…

This guide addresses issues of learner persistence, motivation, and retention in adult basic education (ABE). Based on findings from the NCSALL Adult Student Persistence Study, participants engage in an examination of their own interests and experiences with learner motivation and retention and examine strategies of other practitioners. The goal…

Iowa's educational system is defined by the strong working relationship between the local school districts and area education agencies. Local districts provide the instructional program and area education agencies provide support services. Area education agencies (AEAs) were created in order to provide equity in the provision of programs and…

The purpose of the "Massachusetts Board of Education 2004 Annual Report" is two-fold: (1) To document the state of public education in the Commonwealth, including data on students, schools, and school districts; and (2) To chronicle the major decisions and actions of the Massachusetts Board of Education from January through December…

This paper presents an exploratory analysis using NLSY97 data of the relationship between the likelihood of school continuation and the choices of whether to smoke or drink. We demonstrate that in the United States as of the late 1990s, smoking in 11th-grade was a uniquely powerful predictor of whether the student finished high school, and if so…

This report was designed to examine the influence of a growing Latino enrollment in Minnesota's public schools. Using data from the Minnesota Department of Education, the authors observed that while overall enrollment numbers in Minnesota have declined approximately 3% since 2001, Latino enrollment actually grew by more than 38% during this same…

This chapter, Chapter 2 in "the Economics of Gender in Mexico," uses retrospective household survey data from Mexico to assess the long-term impacts of school dropout and of working early in life, in terms of adult labor market returns. Through these data, it is possible to link adult wages to the ages at which individuals started…