Too many freshmen students remain mired in the ninth grade, presenting a growing problem for America's secondary schools as they struggle to improve high school completion rates. In an effort to stem the tide of high school dropouts, a southeast Texas suburban school district with five comprehensive high schools engaged in a systemic reform effort…

Originally presented in newspaper format, this report consists of 13 articles on American Indian education in Montana, written by journalism students at the University of Montana. The articles include: (1) "The Relentless Killing of a Culture" (David Zelio) which discusses the cultural genocide committed at boarding schools with the aim…

This paper provides a transcript of a videotaped roundtable discussion on illiteracy among young people (aged 16-30) in Canada. The discussion centered mainly on French-speaking Canadians and school dropouts. Panelists declared that the present adult literacy education system focuses on adults and that young people cannot fit into that system.…

Recent statistics indicate an increase in the rate of teen pregnancy and parenthood, which in turn indicates a need for increasing services at school sites. The younger the teen is at the time of the first pregnancy, the greater the likelihood that she will drop out of high school due to the barriers of child care, family dysfunctions, and lack of…

Tutoring is recommended as one of several possible ways to help keep students in school. This report is based on a literature review and conversations with researchers, educators, and students. In spite of recent reductions in dropout rates, they remain high, especially in large urban schools. An extensive body of literature supports the…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 is designed to provide all young people, including out-of-school and at-risk youth, with access to programs that integrate academic and occupational education. In many cases, however, these youth are reached only by dropout prevention efforts. Because dropouts, as well as young people who have obtained…

The Goodwill Literacy Initiative evaluated its services during the 1994-95 program year. This time frame was chosen because several program enhancements were implemented that reflect the literacy initiative's mission to combine adult basic education with work force development. Three developments were aimed at student retention: a formal…

A "Parenting Girls Project" was operated within the Teenage Parent Program in the Owensboro City School System, Kentucky. Objectives involved continuation and expansion strategies: raising student assessment scores in parenting attitudes on the Performance and Attitudinal Scale (PAS), increasing student assessment scores in career…

Today, over 70 percent of the students of the Providence (Rhode Island) public schools are people of color. The dropout rate in Providence has been steadily decreasing over the last decade, but it remains high, ranked 16th among large cities in 1992. Race and ethnicity are relevant factors in scholastic achievement in Providence, and for that…

Faced with alarming dropout rates, educators must find ways to encourage students at risk of dropping out to remain in school. This book describes a variety of prevention programs based on partnerships between universities and local elementary and secondary schools. Among the innovative approaches were combining education and social services in…

A self-esteem building program was developed and implemented to reduce the failure and potential dropout rate of limited English proficient 9th-grade Haitian students (N=15) who were enrolled in bilingual classes and were selected based on recommendations from their bilingual teachers, referrals for behavior problems, and failure in two or more…

This evaluation of the 1989-90 BRIDGE Project, a dropout prevention program in Hartford (Connecticut), found that grade 9 students felt a heightened sense of control over their lives after one year in the program. BRIDGE is a multifaceted program that focuses on reducing the disengagement of at-risk students facing the critical transition from…

As more immigrants enter the United States, there are more lower-skilled people in the country, especially in the Los Angeles area, whereas the growth in jobs is in the higher-skilled sector of the job market. As the problems have increased, the need for business involvement in education has become apparent. During the past 10 years, business…

"I Have a Dream" (IHAD) is a program designed to enhance the educational opportunities of disadvantaged youth by providing them with sustained care, personal support, and guidance to ensure that they graduate and have the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education. The IHAD project in Dade County (Florida) is based in an elementary…

The Junior High School Intensive Care and School Involvement Program (ICSIP) in Washington (District of Columbia) was designed to supplement the regular educational program in four junior high schools by providing academic support, delivering social services to at-risk students, improving the school climate, and mentoring potential dropouts.…