U.S. Department of Education research indicates that early warning indicator systems are being used in at least half of high schools in the United States. Previous findings from an efficacy study of one early warning indicator and response system, the Early Warning Indicator (EWI) team model, indicated that ninth grade students in schools using…

This 5-year longitudinal randomized study focused on the effects of a dropout prevention program implemented at two urban high schools. The program incorporated the characteristics of personalization found in previous research to have some positive effects, and typical of the type of programs implemented in many high schools nationwide. The…

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…

Many states and districts across the country struggle with designing and implementing coherent dropout prevention initiatives that promote academic advancement, especially for special needs students, who drop out at much higher rates than the general student population. This "snapshot" describes New Hampshire's innovative use of data…

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…

Dropout rates had increased for 2 years at a suburban public high school with approximately 2,200 students. Recent legislation mandating increased credit requirements, more academic schedules and standards, and mandatory attendance requirements has contributed to an increase in the dropout rate. A dropout intervention program was implemented with…

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…

This paper examines available information on early identification of students at risk of prematurely dropping out of school. Many factors such as drug use, lowered educational achievement, delinquency, and unemployment appear to be consequences of dropping out, yet cause and effect is often difficult to define. A variety of school related,…

One California high school's dropout intervention program succeeded because it was organized to meet student, not organizational needs. The program also had highly motivated administrators, outstanding teachers, student and teacher incentives, secure funding, and orientation toward positive self-image. (MLH)

Many school district leaders, high school administrators, and teachers--particularly those in urban areas--have struggled to reduce high school dropout rates but find themselves overwhelmed by the dimensions of the problem. Consider: Research has shown that lack of preparation in elementary and middle school, long before students reach high…

This document presents a study of the effectiveness of the Job Training Partnership Act program Project STAY, designed to impact the dropout problem in Stockton, California area high schools. A literature review discusses dropout characteristics, schools that dropouts leave, employment opportunities for the general population and for dropouts,…

Following up on the work of a task force that studied the dropout problem in the Los Angeles Unified School District and developed recommendations for addressing that problem, this report describes current dropout prevention efforts and proposals for expansion and presents recommendations for new approaches. Six major categories of programs are…

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors and data that influenced the key implementation decisions of a ninth-grade dropout intervention program in a large urban high school in 1987-1988. The school district was composed of 12 high schools, 15 middle schools, and 48 elementary schools, and served approximately 40,000 students. Data…

To address the district's pregnant-student dropout problem, the Memphis City Schools initiated the Adolescent Parenting Program (APP), in cooperation with several community agencies. The program provides comprehensive services and an incentive program to ensure students' progress toward graduation. According to this program evaluation, the APP has…

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)