This guide is intended to be useful to educators in high schools and middle schools, to superintendents and school boards, and to state policymakers in planning and executing dropout prevention strategies. The target audience includes school administrators as well as district-level administrators, seeking to help develop practice and policy…

Programs to encourage dropouts to finish school need to overcome the roadblocks of credits, time, and support services. Highlights nine specific hallmarks of effective dropout prevention programs gleaned from a study of 479 programs titled: "School Dropouts: Survey of Local Programs." (MLF)

This study examined official records on retention from the Department of Education to ascertain national and state status and trends of retention/dropouts. The records showed that since 1983 the retention rate has peaked and is beginning to decline. In this investigation of the dropout situation in Indiana, questionnaires were administered to and…

This document comprises an evaluation of the first-year implementation of the New York City Board of Education's three-year Dropout Prevention Program (DPP), implemented in 10 high schools and 29 middle schools; and the Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) program, implemented in 3 high schools. Two intervention models were implemented…

This document, the first part of a two-part evaluation of the third-year implementation of New York City's 3-year Dropout Prevention Initiative (DPI), is the final evaluation report of implementation of the DPI middle school component, called the Dropout Prevention Program (DPP), conducted in 29 schools. Case-management services and some…

Dropouts are defined throughout this document (including in its graphic displays) as: early school leavers, expelled, intermittent learners, leftouts, pushouts, stopouts, suspended, and truants. Sufficient research has been done about school dropouts to begin a comprehensive solution. Schools and other institutions must mobilize the knowledge to…

It's up to school board members to communicate they want schools to improve academic scores and standards while increasing their holding power. Outlines ways superintendents can act to reinforce such policy. (MD)

This document comprises part 1 of a two-part evaluation of the third-year implementation of the New York City Board of Education's 3-year high school Dropout Prevention Initiative (DPI). It describes the DPI and presents the evaluation findings and recommendations. (Part 2 comprises reports on 8 special substudies of the program in year 3.) The…

This paper addresses educational reform as it affects dropouts, minorities, diverse cultures, training programs, and community-based education. Effective dropout-prevention models are presented that address the needs of at-risk populations. The author states that much dropout prevention and reclamation takes place off of school district campuses…

Early socialization, cognitive differences, treatment by teachers, and curricular choices have a negative effect on both the self-esteem and academic achievement of young females. Program designers and policymakers should incorporate the following approaches into female dropout prevention programs: (1) academic encouragement; (2) counseling to…

Identifies basic issues relevant to the development of dropout prevention programs. Considers (1) risk factors leading to dropout, (2) nine possible target groups for dropout intervention, and (3) four possible constraints (cost, burden, directions, and laws) that will influence the consideration and selection of new policies or programs. (IW)

Few researchers have studied the female dropout and too few dropout prevention programs are specifically designed to help girls complete high school. This paper describes programs and state policy initiatives that show promise in helping young women complete their education. They are used by schools and outside organizations to serve and encourage…

The costly supplemental or alternative programs that combat chronic school failure and continued high dropout rates are not always effective for the following reasons: (1) students do not always find out which programs are available, and (2) if no suitable program is available, there is usually no one responsible for trying to create one. People…

Describes how three Colorado school systems joined together and set up a dropout prevention commission that used a seven-step approach to work at reducing student dropout rates. (MD)

The Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) obtained federal grant funds for a school dropout demonstration assistance program, which began operating in 1988-89 as Project GRAD (Grant Research About Dropouts). Project components included the following: (1) piloting the use of dropout intervention specialists at 10 high schools; (2)…