A University of North Carolina (Charlotte) program provides tutorial services to students in certain high-risk courses. Participants from 1988-89 earned higher final grades and had fewer lower grades and withdrawals than nonparticipants, despite lower predicted academic potential and industriousness at the time of college entry. (Author/MSE)

Describes dropout prevention model of teamwork between teacher and graduate social work intern at inner-city alternative public high school. Notes that model provides framework for programmatic responses to problems of school dropouts among inner-city minority youths and also furnishes new opportunities for intern training in school social work.…

A study of 14 Open University (Great Britain) undergraduate courses examined tutor marked assignment (TMA) rates as a reliable early indicator of student retention. This article reviews the effectiveness of course-related evaluation strategies (standard, evaluator-initiated; specific, client-initiated; quantitative; and qualitative) and argues the…

Reviews research and theory on factors cited as contributing to the retention and graduation of African-American students attending predominantly white institutions. Proposes a model to help such institutions provide positive learning experiences for African-Americans. The model has three stages: (1) recruitment considerations, (2) the first-year…

Proposes a systematic approach that focuses on student success and continual improvement in retention to assess college student retention programs Identifies three major components of retention research: (1) determining dropout predictors; (2) identifying critical points; and (3) validating outcomes assessment of retention endeavors. Also…

Discusses the particular consequences of high-risk behavior for adolescent women, including unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, school dropout and poverty, developmental disabilities, and poor school performance. Considers the role of male partners in teenage women's high risk behavior. Describes prevention efforts such as…

Describes the evaluation of four different retention programs implemented at the University of Southern Maine. Data from student surveys, student test scores and grades, and program cost figures indicated that the two learning community programs were more effective than the non-learning community programs. Investment in learning communities made…

British further education college students (n=182) assessed their own learning styles. Students and tutors found the information useful. Follow-up 1 year later showed that students' self-esteem increased, and they took the initiative in discussing teaching and learning styles. However, some lecturers had difficulty changing teaching styles to…

This article discusses the role of secondary level vocational-technical education as a logical approach to dropout prevention among students with disabilities or other special needs. It urges transitional planning teams to consider students' needs of services, agency providers, and community and labor market factors. (Contains references.) (DB)

Used data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study to examine whether teachers provide students with social capital and whether that social capital increases students' likelihood of completing high school. Results show that teachers are an important source of social capital, which significantly reduces the probability of dropping out,…

Colombia has been ravaged for over 40-years by escalating civil conflict and more than half of its population of 42 million live below the poverty line. As a result, many children and young people are excluded from school and drop out rates of those who gain places are high. It is in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, where many displaced families…

The factors that contribute to student dropouts have been the focus of extensive deliberation during the last decade. Despite expanded attention, the number of dropouts remains unacceptably high. Drawing on the authors' 17-year history of dropout research in Texas, Arizona, and across the country, this article describes the alarming dropout rates,…

State Education Agencies (SEAs) lead the charge for effective change, impact, and sustainability in the adoption and implementation of programs and practices that promote school completion. Steps taken by state and local education agencies to decrease dropout include (a) collection, analysis, and public reporting of "dropout" rates and related…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "From No Child Left Behind to Every Child a Graduate": New Alliance Report Outlines Policy Framework for…

In an effort to both challenge and engage adolescent students deemed to be academically "at risk," the purpose of this study was to examine the possibility of creating a pedagogical bridge between dominant (school sanctioned) and non-dominant (non-school) forms of literacy. The study was conducted within a setting where high school students were…