In successful programs for marginal youth, teachers extend their role and create bonds with their students. In the extended role, teachers interact with students in a more personal way, provide learning experiences that promote competence and success, and establish and maintain high but realistic expectations. This role requires the development of…

The data for this report on school dropouts in New York City were collected by means of in-depth interviews with high school staff members, students, and dropouts. A total of 229 persons were interviewed in 53 high schools with dropout prevention programs distributed throughout the city. All respondents were asked approximately 50 open-ended…

From 1976-79, over 46,000 Wisconsin youth left high school before receiving a high school diploma, a number reflective of a national trend. Research has documented dropout characteristics, their reasons for leaving school, and the consequences of their decisions, but little effort has been made to examine ways in which schools and communities…

Students with and without disabilities are dropping out of school at an alarming rate. However, the precise extent of the problem remains elusive because individual schools, school districts, and state departments of education often use different definitional criteria and calculation methods. In addition, specific reasons why students drop out…

This document reports on a study of the self-concept of students enrolled in a continuation high school. A random sample of 40 students was selected from a school of 190 students. All were administered the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale to determine their feelings about themselves, and an author-prepared questionnaire to determine…

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 study presents an evaluation of a program in which the Austin (Texas) Independent School District's School-Community Guidance Center (SCGC) employed three project specialists to work with incorrigible and delinquent students at three locations: Travis County's Gardner House Detention Center and F. R. Rice High School and F. R. Rice Middle…

The document reports on the activities undertaken by occupational specialists for junior and senior high schools of Sarasota County, Florida, in the identification and placement of non-returning students or no-shows. The identification of actual and potential no-shows involves several processes and those who request assistance are presented with…

A study was conducted (1) to examine characteristics of programs in which students were enrolled, (2) to determine which activities were most effective in dealing with dropouts, and (3) to validate program components that have previously been associated with retentive capacity. Results are reported and discussed. (CT)

This study examines the impact of school structures on potential dropouts. Data from field notes, interviews, and school records are used to describe and discuss the effectiveness of interventions generated by a school committee which worked to prevent at-risk students from dropping out of high school. (IAH)

Dallas school district attempted to determine whereabouts of students who did not return to school in fall. Found a large portion of "no-show" students matriculating elsewhere. Previously, these students would have been classified as dropouts and used to determine the dropout rate. The new accounting procedure reduced the annual dropout rate from…

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…

This study was conducted to obtain more information on early school leavers in order to formulate strategies to decrease the dropout rate. The typical pattern for leavers is to complete some portion of the school year before dropping out. The greatest dropout activity occurs in January, February, and March. Typical school leavers: (1) are bored…

This paper, the second in an Education Commission of the States (ECS) series, focuses on the planning and financing of dropout prevention programs. Designed as a resource guide, the paper consists of three parts. The first section presents questions asked by policymakers, discusses the process of determining the resources required, and suggests…