The data which are brought together in this bulletin concern elementary schools, high schools, and colleges, and were collected by a special inquiry of the Bureau of Education in December, 1908. The data collected are significant primarily for the light which they throw upon the problems of retardation and elimination in schools. In two cases the…

Estimates suggest that there are more than 20,000 alternative schools in operation in the United States. The number of alternative schools as well as the number of students educated in these schools has increased significantly over recent years. Oftentimes these schools serve students who are not successful in the traditional school setting, and…

Describes a study of students at Northern Illinois University (NIU) conducted to determine the characteristics, attendance patterns, grade point averages, and degree attainment of students who initiated their postsecondary education at a four-year college, transferred to a community college, and then transferred to NIU. (AYC)

Data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 were used to investigate the effects of high school size on student participation (in athletics, drama, music, debating, journalism, or student government), student satisfaction (feeling part of the school, satisfaction with required courses), and student attendance.…

Because a large number of nonattending students had been retained in the first three grades, a nongraded or pass-fail system in early elementary grades was recommended to reduce the negative impact of failure on student performance. Incentives for attendance were also suggested. (JMF)

This study documented the prevalence of exercise-induced asthma (EIA) in rural elementary schools, examining the use of a free-running asthma screening test and peak expiratory flow-rate measurement for school screening. Results indicated that 5.7% of the students had EIA. Absenteeism and poverty were related to EIA. (SM)

The effects of Australia's increased postsecondary education attendance and some educational policy changes on the labor market are examined. Whether postsecondary education should be expected to provide vocational skills and delay labor market participation, or secondary school vocational preparation should be improved, is discussed. (MSE)

Data from 1974-75 and 1983-84 Canadian national studies are used to explore the impact of gender and parental education on student decisions to enroll full- or part-time, choose college or university, and enroll in different fields. Results show both factors play decisive roles, with family background influencing men and women differentially. (MSE)

A study of 2,100 freshmen at a public university examined the relationship of financial aid at 3 levels (receipt of any aid, total amount of aid, type/amount of aid), grade point average, and full- versus part-time attendance to persistence from the first to the second semester. With the exception of scholarships, financial aid did not affect…

The article reviews the literature regarding the psychopathology of truant behavior, the implications of truancy, and truancy interventions, suggesting that the effectiveness of truancy intervention could be increased by implementing a multimodal approach combining student, family, and school factors. (SM)

Describes the development of a project to provide preschool services to disadvantaged children in Dublin, Ireland, highlighting pedagogical approaches and requirements for parental service in place of payment. Discusses research on program effectiveness indicating consistent program growth, regular attendance for most of the children, and high…

Minnesota is a model for the involvement of state government in American Indian education. Successful activities include a program to retain and adequately prepare Indian students for postsecondary education and a need-based scholarship program. Persistent challenges include improvement of financial aid, academic and student support services, and…

A study identified factors affecting college attendance by minority students in two groups: all high school seniors in 1982 and the subgroup that applied to college. Consistent with prior research, three factors of potential influence were identified: improved academic preparation; higher educational aspirations; and financial aid. (Author/MSE)

Compulsory attendance policies have been instituted in higher education with the expectation that academic achievement will improve, but empirical research on this relationship is equivocal. One theory of motivation posits that students' motivational beliefs, classroom context, and student behaviors are important variables in academic achievement.…

Describes a study that analyzes variables affecting students' decisions to withdraw from liberal arts and science courses. Findings indicated that students with higher GPAs were more likely to withdraw from class than students with low GPAs, perhaps to preserve their averages and repeat the course with higher grades. Contains five data tables and…