The principal of a Louisville, Kentucky, alternative high school uses a "come when you can" schedule, a promise of success, and a high school diploma rather than a General Education Development certificate to entice would-be dropouts and pushouts to finish their education. Highly individualized and computer-assisted programs make the…

The purpose of this successful experimental program at the College of San Mateo was to determine whether active participation in an individualized instructional program such as the Learning Center would be related to a lower level of attrition of first-time freshmen who are identified as high probability dropouts. Forty-nine potential dropout…

Changes that might reduce dropout rates as high school graduation standards are raised are discussed. A review of research on successful dropout prevention programs reveals four common characteristics: (1) they separate potential dropouts from other students; (2) they have strong vocational components; (3) they utilize out-of-class learning; and…

The study, which compares a group of high school dropouts to a group of lowest quintile graduates, shows similarity in most areas of comparison regarding academic ability, character traits and family background. Findings show that the decision to drop out is based on a complex network of reasons with the problem of poor attendance most often cited…

Project VIII is an innovative behavioral science oriented educational program, funded under Title VIII Elementary Secondary Education Act, designed to attack the personal, social, and educational problems of children whose previous record of school failure and frustration has indicated high dropout potential. The program is operated as a…

Tri-County High School in Clarksburg, West Virginia, uses a nontraditional approach to educating actual and potential dropouts from schools in surrounding areas. The primary objective of the program is to enable students to develop adaptive behaviors and adequate skills to return to the regular classroom. The initial screening for admission into…

Intended for school administrators, educators, and the lay public, this publication describes five innovative and effective vocational education programs developed with support from the U.S. Office of Education in response to a local problem. The programs, each requiring the coordinated effort of community groups and leaders are: (1) Industrial…