Discusses results of a study that identified promising practices in both dropout prevention and transition programs for youth at risk in 67 Florida school districts. Practices related to timing (grade range), curriculum, setting, and partnerships are reviewed. (SLD)

Interviews with 44 dropout youth with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, or mild mental retardation found that educators and administrators need to change their attitudes toward and treatment of these youth, that the youth themselves need to change their attitudes and behavior, and that there needs to be more support from teachers and…

Mentoring students via programs such as HOSTS (Helping One Student to Succeed) helps kids avoid or tackle problems associated with substance abuse, pregnancy, gangs, and academic and social failure. A Dupont-sponsored program in Wilmington, Delaware, has helped students improve relationships with peers and adults. (MLH)

An urban New Jersey district changed its high-school suspension policy, giving chronically tardy students administrative detention. Suspensions have been halved, and more students are graduating. Other successful programs include peer mediation and an alternative-education/tutoring program for disaffected middle-schoolers. (MLH)

Comprehensive support was provided to urban, first-time adolescent mothers in a prospective research project designed to reduce repeat pregnancy and school dropout rates. Home visits, parenting classes, school advocacy, and case-management services were provided. Intervention (n=34) and control (n=29) groups were followed to evaluate the…

The middle school teacher is the first line of defense against dropout risk for students. This article presents a plan for teachers to design and conduct learning units that cure, rather than cause, further risk. The plan is supported by a model based on recent brain research that meshes student interests with curricular constraints and goals.…

Among junior high school students at risk of dropout, 45 with cognitive skill deficits were taught using the Cognitive-Based Instructional System (CBIS) and compared with 27 controls. Teachers using CBIS felt empowered to engineer instruction for at-risk students; CBIS's reflection in action helped change their beliefs about teaching and learning.…

Chicago, like many cities, suffers from a significant drop-out problem in its public high schools. The Chicago Public School system (CPS) committed itself in 2001 to utilize small schools--intimate learning environments of no more than 300 students built on communication, collaboration and meeting the needs of the community they serve--as a…

Donna Johnson teaches troubled, abused, and mentally disturbed teenage girls at Hope Hill Children's Home Alternative School. She also teaches students who earn credits toward a diploma through Providence High School, an online entity Johnson created from scratch last January. It seems like a mighty odd move for a 58-year old grandmother with no…

Lessons learned from years of applied research in the area of student engagement, dropout prevention and school completion are offered. This article begins with a summary of theoretical constructs that guided the development of Check & Connect and continues with descriptions of multiple applications of this targeted intervention. The roles of key…

Late school entry prevails in many developing countries, and a brief international comparison suggests it has a general negative impact on school retention rates. Yet this widespread phenomenon has received little attention. This essay investigates late school entry in one of the larger countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Mozambique, for which data…

Objective: The purpose of this study was to: (a) investigate differences in demographic variables and psychological variables between treatment completers and dropouts among abusive women in a treatment program for domestic violence offenders; and, (b) create a predictive model that would correctly identify women at greatest risk of dropping out…

"Project 'Graduation Really Achieves Dreams'" ("GRAD") is an initiative for students in economically disadvantaged communities that aims to reduce dropping out and increase rates of college enrollment and graduation by increasing reading and math skills, improving behavior in school, and providing a service safety net. At the…

"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) Senators Introduce Graduation Promise Act: New Legislation Would Target Lowest-Performing High Schools; (2)…

Educators in the Northern Plains have long discussed dropout rates among American Native youth. Human potential is lost in allowing any one American Native student to drop out of school. The problems among this group of adolescents are apparent, yet nebulous. This document investigates the complexities of achieving school success among American…