Today and every day, in neighborhoods and communities throughout Philadelphia, young people are making decisions that will change their lives forever. Some will decide to stay in school, graduate, and prepare themselves for college and careers. Others, who left school without a diploma, will summon the courage to seek out educational programs they…

Efforts to increase senior secondary retention rates and improve schooling for marginalized students have been influenced by the school effectiveness perspective. This paper outlines several problematic aspects of this perspective and proposes an alternative orientation centred around "care". Drawing on research with students and…

This chapter examines the current state of research and knowledge about the Chicano dropout problem. In 1986, in every age group, dropout rates were higher for Chicanos than for Whites or other ethnic or racial groups. National dropout rates have improved slightly for Hispanic and Mexican-origin populations since 1980 but remain more than twice as…

This report contains four case studies from further education colleges in England that have been addressing student retention and dropout issues during the last several years. The case studies demonstrate successful student retention strategies in diverse college contexts with different student populations. They cover the following colleges:…

A study was done of the efficacy of Project Reach, an alternative school program for seriously at-risk students attending the Socorro High School in the Socorro Independent School District (Texas). Program participants were those who had reached the pre-expulsion stage prior to admission. The program goals were to prevent dropouts or expulsions…

This ERIC Digest reviews the school restructuring tool of career academies serving the non-college bound student. The career academy movement began with the Electrical Academy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The model was exported to California where it became the basis for the Peninsula Academies in the Sequoia Union High School District and from…

Specific goals of this study of the national dropout problem are to: (1) define the problem; (2) identify demographic characteristics of dropouts; (3) describe economic and social consequences; (4) identify programs and practices that prevent students from dropping out; (5) identify federal and state initiatives; and (6) identify private sector…

The College Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) at Queensborough Community College (QCC) in Bayside, New York, is designed to recruit and assist minority and disadvantaged students and to encourage their enrollment in science, technology, and allied health programs. The program offers academic support services and career information to…

Although analogous and vague definitions of school climate may help in determining whether low-achieving students are experiencing a more positive or negative school climate, more clarity is needed to render the climate construct more observable, measurable, and malleable. Tagiuri conceptualizes climate as the total environmental quality within an…

Immigration to the United States from Mexico has a long history and has been increasing in recent years. Immigrant students, especially those who arrive as adolescents and those whose families are migrant agricultural workers, have special educational needs. Mexican immigrant students have varied educational backgrounds, but most need to learn…

Results of a process evaluation of dropout prevention programs in the Leon County (Florida) school district during the school year 1989-90 are presented. Altogether, 11 dropout programs were operationalized in that school year. The methodology used for developing a problem survey among teachers and administrators, the results of the evaluation,…

This document reports information and lists resources for educating homeless and at-risk populations in Iowa. Organized into 12 sections that are grouped into three areas, the document provides research reports, listings of resources, and policy guidelines. Sections I through III, titled "Homeless Information," contain the following: (1)…

This paper examines the success of the Boston (Massachusetts) Compact's business and public education agreements over the years 1985 through 1987. The Compact began in 1982 as a citywide public school improvement program. Business, university, and trade union leaders agreed to establish and meet measurable admission and hiring goals to increase…

In early 1991, a study of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) education-coordination set-aside program examined how the set-aside program was being implemented in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. It was undertaken as a result of questions raised in public policy debates concerning possible misuse of the program. The concern was that…

This report examines the second and third years of the Chelsea-Boston University (BU) partnership in which BU manages the Chelsea, Massachusetts, school system. The report summarizes the activities of the partnership (begun in 1989), examines the impact of key players and events, and evaluates BU's impact on Chelsea to date. The partnership's…