This research is a follow up to a similar study published by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania in 2003 in which researchers examined alternative education policies and practices among Pennsylvania school districts. The current study extended the previous research to include information on the perceptions of administrators and teachers on the…

When this research report was first conceived, the current economic crisis was only just on the verge of revealing its full extent. Economic crisis or no economic crisis, over the years funding for PK-12 education has been a constant struggle. While all schools continue to face difficulties, for various reasons rural schools have different and…

The title of this year's annual report has particular meaning for all of the staff at the Philadelphia Youth Network. The phrase derives from Philadelphia Youth Network's (PYN's) new vision statement, developed as part of its recent strategic planning process, which reads: All of our city's young people take their rightful places as full and…

To increase attendance rates and to decrease dropout rates in New York State, the state legislature established the Attendance Improvement and Dropout Prevention Program in 1984. The State Office of the Comptroller audited the State Department of Education's administration of the program from July 1, 1992 through April 30, 1994. The Comptroller's…

Dropout rates at the college and university level are much higher for students of minority cultures than for their majority culture peers. This paper suggests that the "revolving door" scenario of minority-culture college students can be stemmed by the proper use of mentoring. A combination of successful peers (interpreters), university…

The District of Columbia Junior High School Intensive Care and School Involvement Program (JHSICSIP) was designed to improve achievement and attendance among at-risk students, with the ultimate goal of preventing school dropouts. This program completed its second year of implementation during school year 1990-91 and operated in six junior high…

A 2-year bilingual vocational education program in the Richmond (Virginia) area for language-minority secondary school students is profiled. The students are generally limited-English-speaking refugees, and the program is designed to prepare them for educational mainstreaming or transition to jobs. Incoming students (61 in 1990-91) are assessed…

This brochure describes the AASCU/Sallie Mae National Retention Project's goals, beginnings, continuing work, and participants. An introduction describes how the Project has resulted in over 370 state institutions looking closely at their effectiveness in student learning and achievement and at emerging accountability requirements. An overview…

This literature review describes the major topics covered in the literature on school dropouts between 1988 and 1994, with special attention to the reasons why youth leave school. It analyzes recent literature on these topics, and links this literature to that on intervention programs meant to keep youth in school and prepare them for employment.…

The effects of participation in the Chicago (Illinois) Child-Parent Center and Expansion Program from ages 3 to 9 on early school dropout at age 17 were studied. The Child-Parent Centers offer a government-funded educational intervention program in preschool through second or third grade in 20 locations in Chicago's poorest neighborhoods. Using…

This paper describes Project Self-Responsibility, an innovative approach to reaching African-American male at-risk students and helping them become more self responsible, self determined, self reliant, and self productive. This 1-year project involved 32 students from 1 elementary and 2 high schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The project utilized…

This study examined the personal-environment relationship from a social-cognitive perspective for black college students (N=90) at two southern, nearly all-white institutions. The study employed observational learning models in relations to academic and social integrated behaviors of black college students. The study postulated that the…

This document contains transcripts of papers and panel discussions of a workshop conducted in Texas on the integration of academic and vocational education. The following papers and sessions are included: "Integrated Curriculum and Performance-Based Education: A Strategy for Systemic Change" (Jerry D. Pepple); "Toward the…

A 1990 Task Force report outlined the problem of the high dropout rate (40-60 percent) among Idaho's Hispanic-American students. This follow-up report presents state goals related to preventing Hispanic students from dropping out and makes specific recommendations to accomplish each goal. State-level goals are strong leadership, adequate funding,…

An evaluation of an alternative program for at-risk high school students offered in the Porter County (Indiana) school system is described in this report. The evaluation was based on student assessments of the program, obtained through use of an interview format. The program, which provides instruction in basic subject areas required for…