Specific goals of this study of the national dropout problem are to: (1) define the problem; (2) identify demographic characteristics of dropouts; (3) describe economic and social consequences; (4) identify programs and practices that prevent students from dropping out; (5) identify federal and state initiatives; and (6) identify private sector…

The College Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) at Queensborough Community College (QCC) in Bayside, New York, is designed to recruit and assist minority and disadvantaged students and to encourage their enrollment in science, technology, and allied health programs. The program offers academic support services and career information to…

Results of a process evaluation of dropout prevention programs in the Leon County (Florida) school district during the school year 1989-90 are presented. Altogether, 11 dropout programs were operationalized in that school year. The methodology used for developing a problem survey among teachers and administrators, the results of the evaluation,…

This paper examines the success of the Boston (Massachusetts) Compact's business and public education agreements over the years 1985 through 1987. The Compact began in 1982 as a citywide public school improvement program. Business, university, and trade union leaders agreed to establish and meet measurable admission and hiring goals to increase…

This report examines the second and third years of the Chelsea-Boston University (BU) partnership in which BU manages the Chelsea, Massachusetts, school system. The report summarizes the activities of the partnership (begun in 1989), examines the impact of key players and events, and evaluates BU's impact on Chelsea to date. The partnership's…

The ScholarshipBuilder Program, an adopt-a-class program, began in November 1988 to encourage selected first-grade students to stay in school until graduation in the year 2000. Scholarships will be provided by Merrill Lynch, Incorporated, for students who go on to college, and a one-time stipend will be provided to students who enter the military…

This paper evaluates STRIVE, an alternative program designed to provide a nurturing, caring, and intensive academic environment for over-age, low-performing ninth grade students attending the Barbara Jordan High School for Careers in Houston (Texas). STRIVE operates in isolation from the regular student population and has a counselor and four…

The 1986-87 Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) Part-Time Jobs Program was begun in spring 1987 to place at-risk New York City, New York, high school students in part-time, unsubsidized jobs that would motivate them to improve their school attendance and academic achievement. Twenty-one community-based organizations (CBOs) contracted…

This evaluation of the second-year (1986-87) implementation of the New York City (New York) Dropout Prevention Initiative (DPI) in 13 high schools focuses on student characteristics and outcomes, with a discussion of a set of statistical data on program services, findings on school-level indicators of program effectiveness, and an analysis of…

The Portable Assisted Study Sequence (P.A.S.S.) Program, a pilot high school program designed to support California migrant student graduation through the use of competency based credits and portable learning packets, more than met its goals and objectives in 1978-79. Evaluation was by questionnaire, to which 16% of the surveyed P.A.S.S. students…

This paper discusses alternative schools that serve students with special needs. The evolution of alternative education is outlined and several kinds of alternatives are discussed: schools for the gifted, the vocationally-oriented, and the disruptive, and multiethnic and basic skills programs. Alternative schools for problem students appear to be…

The Aides to Career Education (ACE) Program, a Los Angeles Vocational Amendments Part A project, employs instructional aides to help disadvantaged vocational education students develop positive attitudes toward education and employment, more cooperative behavior, pride in their course work, efficiency in completing assigned tasks, and improved…

The purpose of the study was to define factors associated with high (16% or more) and low (15% or less) rates of attrition of ethnic minority students in vocational education programs. Six functional areas of school operations were studied: teacher characteristics, teaching techniques, total school environment, supportive services, organization,…

The Work Opportunity Center (WOC) is a vocational facility in a non-school setting with programs designed to meet the special needs of disadvantaged, inner city youth. This experimental program originally served 200 junior high youth who attended a half-day program of vocational and related training at the WOC. Emphasis throughout the program was…

This report examines some of the many varieties of alternatives now available, their problems and pitfalls, and their hopes for the future. After defining alternative schools, the report discusses the rationale for having alternatives and then summarizes the range of alternatives available at both the elementary and secondary levels. Separate…