Research shows that poor student-teacher relations adversely affect students' self-concept. Teachers at a Florida high school created positive advisor/advisee relationships for a group of high-risk students with grade-point averages of 1.5 or below. After 21 weeks, these students had better attendance and grade-point averages than control-group…

Offers three case studies of the attitudes toward their children's education of mothers who dropped out themselves. These studies show the parents had high hopes for their children despite their own histories and reveal how asymmetrical power arrangements between schools and low-income parents can exacerbate the estrangement between the two. (GR)

Compares the adult adjustment of a random sample of 399 high school graduates and dropouts with disabilities from rural Iowa school districts with that of 541 urban counterparts. Classifies subjects according to disability and analyzes information on their employment, fringe benefits, living arrangements, and postsecondary education one and three…

A hierarchical regression analysis featuring 35 community, family, student, and school program characteristics was used to assess prediction of employment of 2,405 students who had left special education high school programs. Personal characteristics (especially being male and having living skills and academic skills) dominated the prediction of…

This business/school partnership program uses adult volunteers from a local business to facilitate the personal and emotional development of students at high risk of dropping out of school. After a 30-minute training session, volunteers eat lunch with an assigned student partner once a week for 14 weeks. Benefits of the program are seen for both…

Two exploratory studies suggest ways to address Hispanic Americans' education needs. School staff should place value on the students' language and cultures, set high expectations for language-minority students, design staff development to help teachers and counselors serve language-minority students more effectively, and encourage parents to…

Examines the drop-out factor in adult language classes. It is argued that when focusing on the learner as an individual, it is important to consider the social reality of the learning situation. The first task is to identify the motivational factors confronting teachers in the language classroom and to find ways to support the student's motivation…

Although the public school choice plan implemented in Richmond, California, in 1987 through 1990 received much favorable publicity, the school district filed for bankruptcy in 1991. This paper describes the plan and the events preceding financial collapse and presents data on student absenteeism, dropout rates, test scores, and school…

Surveys school superintendents in Washington State for their views on interdistrict school choice and their perceptions of its advantages and disadvantages. Replies of 98 superintendents generally do not support interdistrict choice, although superintendents in districts with higher dropout rates tend to be more supportive. (SLD)

Reviews school effects literature concerning student dropouts and critically examines urban principals' viewpoints, focusing on definitions, current practices and proposed solutions, and context considerations. Principals blamed either the individual or the community context for student disengagement from school, relying on support services and…

Examined attendance problems in a group treatment program for test anxiety at a college counseling services program. Analyzed data collected over 13 years from 736 students. Found that shortening the program from 1.5 days to a single day and instituting a $5 deposit against attendance significantly reduced attendance problems. (Author/PVV)

Presents findings from the International Society for Technology in Education's "Vision: TEST" study, revealing that access to technology facilitates learning, especially among at-risk students. Compares "factory" and "individual" paradigms for education. Offers three examples of the use of technology with at-risk students. Discusses the economic…

Analysis of effects of local educational levels on employment growth found that growth benefits of higher schooling levels during the 1970s were 14 times greater for metro than nonmetro commuting zones. During the 1980s, higher education levels did not significantly affect employment growth in metro or nonmetro zones; higher dropout rates were…

Discussion of the cost effectiveness of distance education highlights an investigation that explored both the cost and the instructional effectiveness of using computer-mediated communication (CMC) for two courses in the U.S. Army Reserve Component. Student performance is compared and evaluated for CMC versus traditional resident courses. (24…

Examined effectiveness of 14-week program to build self-esteem with at-risk ninth-grade students by comparing participants (n=35) to no-treatment controls (n=33). Concluded that program, based on concepts of rational emotive therapy, was effective in improving self-concept, self-management, and academic achievement. (Author/NB)