Background: Education plays a pivotal role in empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills needed for careers, economic progress, and societal engagement. Dropping out of school before achieving a qualification undermines these opportunities and has an impact on individuals and society (Audit Commission, 2010; OECD, 2023). International…

Context: Vocational education and training (VET) plays a key role in reducing early leaving from education and training, and integrating youth at risk in upper secondary education. To ensure that more young people complete upper secondary education, the OECD suggests designing interventions that address the specific needs of youth at risk such as…

To stem the tide of students dropping out, many schools and districts are turning to early warning systems (EWS) that signal whether a student is at risk of not graduating from high school. While some research exists about establishing these systems, there is little information about the actual implementation strategies that are being used across…

In 1997 the British Columbia Open University (BCOU) adopted a virtualization strategy based primarily on twinning off-line independent study distance education courses (textbook-based with study guide and telephone and e-mail tutor support) with alternate online versions (textbook-based with integrated conferencing and communications provided…

Individuals or groups interested in conducting follow-up studies of former students should find this document helpful. A follow-up study is a procedure for accumulating pertinent data from or about individuals after they have had similar or comparable experience. Generally the follow-up study should obtain information which assists in determining…

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…

This article reviews teaching strategies expected to be effective in alternative education programs for students at risk for school failure, dropout, and delinquency. The need for alternative education programs for students in both special and general education is discussed, along with recommended alternative education strategies and program…

A project was designed to expand the career guidance, counseling, placement, and follow-up services for early school leavers and adults in Fort Smith, Arkansas. A project coordinator met with staff at various schools to develop ways to expand career service for early school leavers. Students with high rates of absenteeism or discipline problems…

Comprehensive evaluations of two dropout prevention/reentry demonstration programs, sponsored by the Department of Education, one funded under the School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program (SDDAP) and one funded under the Cooperative Demonstration Program (CDP), are provided in this paper. Both programs were designed to demonstrate effective…

Vocational Village was opened by the Portland (Oregon) School District in 1968 to provide opportunities for students who had not been successful in traditional high school programs. A basic concept of the programs initiated at Vocational Village was the desire to personalize and individualize instruction. However, as operations got under way it…

The current study investigated a needs assessment survey designed to measure perceptions of causes of dropout and school violence and related interventions. The needs assessment was conceptualized as a first step to be taken by schools to facilitate program planning, school-based implementation and acceptability of programs designed to prevent…

Surveyed 307 schools and agencies using the Career Information System to identify successful career development programs for dropouts and potential dropouts. Identified 13 model programs for followup based on the literature of successful programs and on statements from survey respondents. Describes model programs, evidence of program success, and…

This report summarizes and assesses Project REAL (Return to Employment and Learning), which attempted to attack the high rate of youth crime by focusing on youth offenders who, because they committed repeated serious offenses, were likely to become career criminals. Following a brief introduction, the report describes typical Project REAL clients…

Hamilton Terrace in Shreveport, Louisiana, began as the Caddo P.M. School, which was established to provide high school dropouts an opportunity to return to school to complete their diploma requirements. Unlike other evening programs, the P.M. School allowed students to earn real diplomas. It was selected as the best vehicle for providing the…

A study compared the effectiveness of public and private sector work experience programs. In five locations equal numbers of jobs were developed in the private and public/nonprofit sectors. To equalize the incentives relative to the public sector, full wage subsidies were provided on an experimental basis in the private sector. Youth were matched…