In 1988, the United States Congress passed legislation that created the School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program (SDDAP). The program provides funding for local educational agencies, community-based organizations, and educational partnerships to establish effective programs to identify potential student dropouts and prevent them from…

While some comfort can be taken from the figures which indicate a growing retention rate, there is considerable concern over the very large percentage of students who do not complete full schooling. In the first experiment in order to address the question of the differential effects of variables on school retention across a range of cultural…

This paper presents the findings of an ethnographic study of a state-run and state-funded remediation program for economically disadvantaged adolescents. The program's main purpose was to reintegrate students defined as "at risk" of dropping out back into their schools. The program, the Ordered School Reinforcement Program (OSRP), was implemented…

This resource guide includes abstracts of 90 papers presented at the conference. Section 1, "Understanding Students At-Risk," includes 17 abstracts that emphasize the need for a comprehensive set of services that can respond to the diverse needs of at-risk students. Section 2, "Preventing and Reducing Incidence of At-Risk," includes 17 abstracts…

Information on alternative education and programs for potential dropouts and dropouts in Iowa is compiled in this directory. Data were obtained from reports submitted to the Iowa Association of Alternative Education (IAAE) and from out-of-state sources. Following the introduction and information on the IAAE, 15 sections present information on the…

This paper describes LEARNing Visions, a K-12 intervention program for at-risk youth in Jackson County, Tennessee, involving a partnership between the schools, local businesses, Tennessee Technological University, and Visions Five (a private company). Jackson County is characterized by an undereducated population, a high employment rate, and a low…

The multiple causes and complex nature of the dropout problem require a variety of program approaches to help both at-risk students and dropouts. Twelve-Together (Detroit, Michigan), Adopt-a-Student (Atlanta, Georgia), and the Summer Youth Employment Program (New Bedford, Massachusetts) are supplemental services providing counseling and job…

This paper describes the development and test of an early-warning instrument for identifying at-risk students aged 10-15. A statistically sound test to identify at-risk high school students existed in the Personal Skills Map--Adolescent version (PSMA-A). This study used a modified version of PSM-A , which was renamed Personal Skills for…

"A Vision for the Future," a comprehensive long-range plan to develop, implement, and evaluate a multipart program to reduce the dropout rate in the Charleston, South Carolina, school district, is described in this report. Goals and objectives are presented, followed by a description of 18 intervention strategies. Components of the plan…

The Open University of the United Kingdom is acknowledged as the most successful distance education program yet designed. High among the reasons for its success is the student support service provided by the Regional Tutorial Services, a department of the Open University administrative structure which has received little acclaim. This paper shows…

This report highlights recommendations made in recent research reports concerning the role of vocational education in enhancing the success of students at risk of dropping out of school. It has been found that components of vocational education programs successful at retaining students include mechanisms for helping at-risk youth to follow…

This paper discusses a study of at-risk students in two highly contrastive schools, located in different districts, in order to illustrate the comparative perspective on how district and school characteristics might influence the definition of and response to at-risk students. The study is linked with a larger cultural context through an…

This paper addresses the educational implications of the increasing number of students at risk and reviews the variety of at-risk conditions and circumstances and their indicators. The following topics are discussed: (1) the characteristics and behaviors that define and identify youth at risk; (2) social correlates of educational risk; (3)…

Longitudinal dropout rates (LDR's) for public school students and LDR's of pupil membership by ethnic group based on two Texas Education Agency reports are estimated. LDR's are calculated for the state, by school district size, for the 21 largest districts, and by average high school size. Findings dispel the prevalent perception of the dropout…

This practicum paper describes the design and implementation of a mentoring program to improve the academic achievement of black male urban high school students. The program utilizes black adult mentors from both the community and the school's faculty. Mentors function as role models, advisers, and resource persons. The program design includes the…