This study examined characteristics of programs in which students were enrolled to determine which activities were most effective in dealing with dropouts. The study attempted to validate program components that have previously been associated with retentive capacity. Seventy-six exemplary programs for dropouts were selected to participate in the…

This report focuses on young mothers who had children as teenagers, who had dropped out of high school, and who were receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children. It was a voluntary demonstration project that provided comprehensive education, training, and other services intended to increase the long-term self-sufficiency and well-being of…

This volume is one of the products of the knowledge development effort implemented under the mandate of the Youth Employment and Demonstration Projects Act of 1977. The report focuses on the young school drop-out portion only of the supported work experiment, which also included offenders, ex-addicts, and welfare recipients. The goal of supported…

The development and operation of the Federally funded Ventures in Community Improvement Demonstration Project (VICI) and its impact on participant youths and communities are summarized in this report. VICI's purposes were (1) to provide young, minority, inner-city, high school dropouts with intensive skills training in the workplace that could…

One of the many legacies left to us through ancient Greek literature is the concept of mentoring. The ideal mentoring relationship involves three key components: (1) Continuing to carry out other duties while assuming the care-giving role; (2) Serving as a conduit for the wisdom of others; and (3) Developing a long-term connection. Mentoring can…

This is the second year report in a five-year evaluation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). This program, which began in 1990, provides government-funded vouchers for low-income children to attend private schools in the City of Milwaukee. The maximum voucher amount in 2007-08 was $6,607, and approximately 20,000 children use a…

THIS REPORT DESCRIBES A SPECIAL PROJECT IN SOME DISADVANTAGED PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN A CHICAGO SCHOOL DISTRICT. OVERAGE, UNDERACHIEVING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUPILS WERE OFFERED YEAR-ROUND SPECIAL INSTRUCTION AND AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDED VOCATIONAL SKILL TRAINING, CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, AND PART-TIME JOBS. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE PROJECT WAS TO…

The Youth Incentive Entitlement Pilot Projects were designed to test whether guaranteed part-time jobs during the school year and full-time jobs in the summer would induce economically disadvantaged youths to remain in or return to school. The General Accounting Office (GAO) found that most worksites provided adequate experiences. Others, however,…

The JOBSTART demonstration program provided education and vocational training, support services, and job placement assistance to educationally disadvantaged dropouts aged 17-21 at 13 sites. An evaluation assessed whether helping disadvantaged dropouts increase their educational attainment led to increased earnings. A total of 2,312 people were…

Families in urban areas struggle with drug abuse, poverty, increasing housing costs, and lack of affordable child care. The challenges confronting urban schools include a higher dropout rate, higher youth unemployment, and the need to address a variety of special needs of their student population, such as programs for pregnant students, dropouts,…

Three Florida counties (Broward, Orange, and Pinellas) formed a consortium for demonstrating the most effective methods and techniques in career education at the secondary level. A career education model was developed which was designed to provide (1) career awareness and exploration experiences for all students, 9-12; (2) alternative salable…

Through August, 1979, approximately 63,000 low-income youths in 17 areas across the country had been enrolled in Youth Incentive Entitlement Pilot Projects that guaranteed them a part-time job during the school year and a full-time job during summer months on the condition that they remain in, or return to, a secondary school or enroll in an…

This sourcebook describes methods of dealing with dropouts in Oregon school districts. "At-risk youth" and "dropout" are defined and survey results of 98 percent of superintendents concerning program offerings are summarized. Data suggest that medium-size districts require greatest assistance. Despite increases in single-parent…

The New Chance Demonstration, which operated at 16 locations in 10 states in 1989-1992, offered comprehensive education, training, and assistance to teenage mothers who had dropped out of high school. The demonstration, which was designed to increase the young mothers' well-being and long-term self-sufficiency, was subjected to an interim…

This annotated resource list is intended to help state and local administrators of vocational special needs programs, special needs educators, counselors, researchers, and policy makers develop or improve programs and services for at-risk youth and adults. The list is not intended to be exhaustive but to list resources that are representative of…