One of the concerns expressed by educators nationwide is the alarmingly high numbers of students who withdraw from schools before graduating. In response to this concern, the Austin Independent School District interviewed 95 dropouts in their homes, asking them why they left school and what could have been done that would have enabled them to…

The primary purpose of this monograph is to describe how learning curves can be applied to vocational evaluation procedures to enhance the reliability and accuracy of performance prediction. Particular emphasis is placed on describing two techniques known as the "best 20 percent method" and the "Performance Analyzer and…

Triggered by recent exposures of illiterate college athletes, the academic exploitation of athletes, and the manipulation of educational standards for athletes at all levels, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in January 1983 passed an academic requirements ruling for all Division I schools within the NCAA. "Proposition…

A brief discussion of some myths associated with latchkey children is followed by a statement that an insufficient number of after-school care programs for children makes it likely that children will continue in self-care or sibling care. It is suggested that future research endeavors take the following parental/familial variables into account:…

On the first day of classes, most students in introductory biology courses (a) believe that their effort is the most accurate predictor of their academic success, and (b) are confident that they will work hard and earn high grades. Despite their optimism, many students do not follow through on their expectations, and their grades drop accordingly.…

The effects of religion and religiosity as measured by attendance at weekly religious services on the demand for private schooling is assessed. It is shown that Catholics, fundamentalist/evangelical Protestants, and respondents who attend religious services more often have a higher demand for private schooling. Data from the National Opinion…

This study sought to define the relationships between reading skill, reading requirements, and success in a sample of navy Class "A" schools. A further objective was to provide a methodological demonstration of the procedures required to allow an inference about causality in these relationships. Reading skill was compared with a nonverbal measure…

The objective of this study was to devise a methodology for predicting the return or nonreturn of a student for the spring semester, upon his completion of the fall term. Nineteen variables from existing student files were examined by several multivariate analyses to determine their ability to help in such a prediction. The random sample was of…

This research is part of a longitudinal study designed to compare measures of first-grade oral language with reading achievement at various grade levels. The original study constructed ten measures for oral language from interviews with 100 first graders and compared those measures to the reading achievement of the subjects at the end of first…

Six methods for smoothing double-entry expectancy tables (tables that relate two predictor variables to probability of attaining a selected level of success on a criterion) were compared using data for entering students at 85 colleges and universities. ACT composite scores and self-reported high school grade averages were used to construct…

A parity-equity model for estimating the influences of rational and nonrational inequity and parity (marketplace) factors on faculty salaries were developed. A comprehensive list of factors was classified as rational equity (e.g., professorial rank, years in rank, years of experience), nonrational equity (e.g., sex, years at university), and…

The following research questions were addressed in this study to investigate elementary school teachers' (N=236) attributional styles related to their teaching methods and allocation of time: (1) How do teachers attribute the causes of success or failure in their science teaching; (2) Does the attributional model help explain science teaching…

This study investigated disparities in reading performance among minority and white students in an urban school district undergoing desegregation in 1980-81. Phase one compared minority and white students on reading comprehension test performance. It was found that white students performed significantly higher on the test than minority students,…

The Administrative Stress Index, a 35-item questionnaire, was designed, validated, and sent to members of the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators to identify perceived job stress, to establish stress categories, and to discover how administrators cope with stress. Usable responses were received from 1,156 elementary and secondary…

Predictors of success in the law firm were studied through interviewing and survey administration. Selected partners at several of the top 100 law firms were interviewed, and 600 alumni of 2 elite law schools were surveyed. The alumni sample was comprised of 150 members of 2 graduating classes from the 2 institutions; those who graduated 7 and 8…