In an effort to develop early intervention strategies to increase student persistence, a study was conducted at Allegany Community College (ACC) in Cumberland, Maryland, of the common characteristics of withdrawing students. Student records were examined for the 84 students (out of a total of 2,999 enrolled) who withdrew in the first 3 weeks of…

In the 1989-90 school year, 13 dropout prevention programs were implemented in the Leon County (Florida) School District. The Comprehensive Dropout Prevention Program (CDPP) for Leon County schools included Educational Alternatives Programs, a Teenage Parent Program, a Substance Abuse Program, and Youth Services Programs. This report presents…

Youth in foster care are at particular risk for engaging in early sexual behavior due to frequent moves that have disrupted trusting relationships and schooling, and sometimes because of histories of sexual abuse. This manual was developed by experts in the field of sexuality education for use primarily by foster parents with children in their…

This report describes a 12-week practicum that was designed to decrease the number of special education referrals of at-risk kindergarten students for developmental delays in communication through a direct, in-class, social language program. The program was implemented in five kindergarten classrooms and used developmentally appropriate,…

Twelve pamphlets in a series for parents cover a variety of school-related information. The pamphlets are as follows: (1) Parent Involvement (how schools will benefit, why parents should be involved, and parent rights); (2) Parent/Teacher Conference (why conferences are important, how parents can prepare, what happens, and what to do afterwards);…

This handbook on preventing child abuse is intended to help families with young children, especially young children who have or are at risk for disabilities, and to help people working with such families. After an introductory section which presents basic definitions, the first chapter presents highlights of the Education of the Handicapped Act…

As is the case in many developing countries, Honduras's vocational training and job placement systems were plagued by high dropout and low job placement rates. After deciding that the issue of relevance was the key to improving the country's job training system, a trade advisory committee set about to develop a series of competency-based…

A federal program designed to reduce dropout rates in middle schools among limited-English-proficient (LEP) students is described. The program trains LEP middle school students at risk of dropping out as tutors for elementary school children. A demonstration project trained 101 Hispanic student tutors in two Texas school districts. Evaluation of…

During the 1988-89 school year, the Kaufman Independent School District (Texas) developed a model program for students at risk of dropping out of school. The program linked a current basic skills instructional program, a vocational education program, and an at-risk program. The goal of TAPS (To Allow Pupils to Succeed) was to produce high school…

The crisis of dropping out among Latino high school students points directly to the important role that teachers, counselors, administrators, parents, and community groups can play in creating for each student a vision of the future that includes postsecondary education. The Five Cities High School Dropout Study, which documents the effect of key…

An analysis of Ohio's Learning, Earning, and Parenting (LEAP) program focused on the first 18 months of program operations. The 12 randomly selected research counties contained about two-thirds of the statewide teen population targeted by LEAP. The analysis relied on field research, supplemented by data collected from county human service agencies…

This report summarizes the major programs of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) in Escambia County School District, Florida. The report identifies the district's concerns and priorities for the following: state-of-the-art, computer-assisted instruction for basic skills attainment; reconnecting dropouts through aggressive recruitment…

This monograph contains articles on mental health needs, experiences, and preventive social work programs in ethnic minority communities. An overview by Gwenelle Styles O'Neal reviews factors that influence the mental health of ethnic minorities and explores family and community support networks for alleviating stress. Susan Bellinger examines…

The degree to which intellectual development can be enhanced by systematic early educational intervention, and the relative power of early versus later intervention as a preventive measure against mild retardation and academic failure, were the central issues tested in the Carolina Abecedarian Project. The project was designed for infants and…

This document consists of papers by masters degree students that concern counseling techniques for at-risk youth. The following papers included are: (1) "Adolescent Depression: Its Diagnosis and Treatment" (Bruce Bowers); (2) "Counseling the Bereaved Child: A School Counselor's Perspective" (David Boyle); (3) "Adolescents of Divorce: An Overview…