Most students who begin at a community college do not complete their desired credential. Many students fail to graduate due to various barriers other than their academic performance. To encourage previously successful non-completers to re-enroll and eventually graduate, a growing number of community colleges have implemented re-enrollment…

This study reports on the implementation of Gateway to College, a program whose mission is to serve students who have dropped out of high school, or who are at risk of dropping out of high school, by allowing them to earn a high school diploma and credits toward a postsecondary degree. Gateway to College is uniquely ambitious in providing…

Among the diverse and varied missions of community colleges is the provision of instruction for students who have either been underserved by their previous educational institutions or not had the opportunity to complete high school. Included under this umbrella are low-performing high school students, individuals with low basic skills, and those…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Deficit Committee's Failure Triggers Automatic Spending Cuts: Education Programs Could Face $3.5 Billion in Cuts; (2)…

High school students with disabilities who drop out are costly to society. Compared to those who graduate, they are more likely to be unemployed, dependent on public services, and involved in the criminal justice system. Consequently, helping students with disabilities graduate has become a prominent national concern. Students with disabilities…

High school students with disabilities who drop out are costly to society. Compared to those who graduate, they are more likely to be unemployed, dependent on public services, and involved in the criminal justice system. Consequently, helping students with disabilities graduate has become a prominent national concern. Students with disabilities…

Taste of community college keeps potential dropouts in school. (Editor)

High school students with disabilities who drop out are costly to society. Compared to those who graduate, they are more likely to be unemployed, dependent on public services, and involved in the criminal justice system. Consequently, helping students with disabilities graduate has become a prominent national concern. Students with disabilities…

Reviews 4 key intervention strategies for students at risk: (1) Sorting (of students into homogeneous subgroups); (2) Supporting (of students dealing with life's problems); (3) Connecting (of students with each other and the institution); and (4) Transforming (of students and the institution). (50 references) (JDI)

States that student retention is significant for measuring institutional effectiveness in the prevailing environment of accountability and budgetary constraints. Presents recommendations for increasing retention, including training staff on retention issues, reviewing admission and advising strategies affecting minority populations, and piloting…

Presents a model of adaptive education based on the systems-dynamic approach to the problem of student attrition. (DC)

The Academic Assistance System (AAS) at Rio Hondo College in California is the early academic warning system that flags students in academic trouble. The AAS aims to assist these at-risk students through counseling, time management/study skills workshops, tutoring, and other programs. Students who received early warning letters and who responded…

A comprehensive program for dealing with some of the key factors causing school dropout is described and evaluated. The Magic of the Mind program has four basic components, each addressing one of the following: (1) building self-efficacy in students; (2) teaching students learning skills; (3) teaching stress management to the students; and (4)…

Recognizing the importance of strong working relationships with local high schools, Triton College (Illinois) has recently developed a series of initiatives which provide an ongoing avenue for students to experience Triton's programs and services while still in high school and thereby facilitate continuity of learning. One group of programs,…

Describes the Middle College High School (MCHS) at Seattle (Washington) Central Community College, a public schools cooperative venture among the school system, community college, Seattle Housing Authority, and corporate sponsor. The MCHS enrolls students at risk of dropping out and boasts an impressive effort in retaining and educating these…