The problem of this study was the differentiation of high schools in a metropolitan school district from the standpoint of the measures taken to prevent student dropouts.

The primary purpose of this paper is to evaluate student and teaching faculty response to the formal procedures used at a large university to officially warn students who are in danger of failing, and to study the relationship of this process to such factors as college entrance examinations and subsequent grades.

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract.

Thesis (M.Med.(Psychiatry))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2014. / Introduction Absconding from psychiatric facilities has socioeconomic implications. The aetiology is multifactorial. Absconding patients are at higher risk of self-harm, violence, non-adherence, relapses, substance use and negative media attention. Identification of potential absconders would assist with risk assessment and prevention. Methods A retrospective record review was conducted of all absconds from a tertiary psychiatric hospital over one year. An abscond rate and a profile were formulated. In addition, trends were identified since the inception of democracy and deinstitutionalization. Results 97 patients absconded 108 times during the study period, 7 having absconded more than once. The absconding rate was 7.83%. The typical absconder is: single, unemployed male, in his early 30’s, known to psychiatric services, diagnosed with schizophrenia and co-morbid substance use. The typical absconder is more likely to be a forensic patient not returning from an official leave of absence. Conclusion The study defines the profile of the typical absconder. The abscond rate has decreased to half that of a previous study by Siwinska (1993). Mental health care users are being treated in a less restrictive manner and this results in less absconds and a change in the method of absconds. This has implications for clinical practice.

by Lam Tak Shing John. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-150). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.i / TABLE OF CONTENT --- p.ii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / FIGURES --- p.vii / Abstract --- p.viii / CHAPTER / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / The Hong Kong Education Context and Dropout Situation --- p.7 / Statement of the Problem --- p.13 / Purpose of this Study --- p.14 / Significance of the Study --- p.15 / Research Questions --- p.16 / Limitations of the Study --- p.16 / Chapter II. --- REVIEW OF LITERATURE / Introduction --- p.18 / Relevant theories / The Epidemilogical Concept of Students at Risk --- p.19 / Social Constructivist Model of Students at Risk --- p.20 / Alienation Theory and Finn's Participation-identification Model --- p.23 / Wehlage's Dropout Prevention Theory: School Membership and Educational Engagement --- p.27 / An Adapted and Integrated Explanatory Model of School Failure and Dropping Out --- p.30 / Chapter III. --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY / Introduction --- p.33 / The Research Paradigms --- p.34 / Phenomenological Approach --- p.36 / Symbolic Interactionism --- p.36 / Subjects and sampling --- p.37 / Context of Study --- p.41 / Research Design and Method --- p.42 / Multiple-case-study method --- p.43 / Unit of analysis --- p.44 / Analytic Induction Method --- p.46 / Data Collection / Data collection methods --- p.50 / Focus Group Interview --- p.51 / Individual Interviews --- p.52 / Participant Observation --- p.52 / Analysis of physical artifacts --- p.55 / Data Analysis --- p.56 / Coding strategies --- p.57 / Enumeration --- p.57 / Typological analysis --- p.58 / Analytic induction --- p.59 / Triangulation and trustworthiness --- p.61 / Chapter IV. --- RESEARCH FINDINGS / Introduction --- p.64 / Research findings from various data collection methods --- p.65 / Participant Observation Findings --- p.65 / Focus Group Interview Findings --- p.69 / Non-participant Observation Findings --- p.69 / Interview Findings --- p.70 / Three Typical Cases --- p.75 / The Emergent Patterns/ Themes --- p.80 / Some Interim Conclusions --- p.88 / Categorization of perceptions --- p.92 / Summary of the Findings and their relations to the Research Questions --- p.95 / Propositions --- p.96 / Chapter V. --- DISCUSSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS / Introduction --- p.99 / School restructuring --- p.99 / School restructuring for at-risk students --- p.100 / Recommendations for Hong Kong school restructuring --- p.103 / Accommodation --- p.104 / Academic engagement --- p.108 / School social engagement and school organization --- p.111 / Teacher culture --- p.116 / Implications for teacher education and action research --- p.120 / "Other implication: A 'second Chance"" re-entry mechanism" --- p.121 / Conclusion --- p.123 / APPENDIX I Interview Guide --- p.126 / APPENDIX II Focus Group Interview Guide --- p.127 / APPENDIX III Case profiles of the subjects --- p.130 / References --- p.138

Aggressive students often struggle in multiple domains of their school functioning and are at increased risk for high school dropout. Research has identified a variety of warning flags which are strong predictors of high school dropout. While it is known that aggressive students exhibit many of these warning flags, there is little research which identifies the paths aggressive students take towards high school dropout. This study attempts to better characterize the relationship between aggression and dropout using a sample of students (N=685) from two middle schools in an urban, low income school district in the Northeastern United States. This study utilizes survival analysis, a longitudinal data analysis strategy for examining event occurrence. The sample was followed over a course of seven years, spanning from when students start middle school in the sixth grade through their expected on time-graduation year in the twelfth grade. In this study, hazard and survivor functions, key components of survival analysis, were utilized to examine the timing of high school dropout and compare timing of dropout for students characterized as aggressive vs. not aggressive. Discrete time hazard models using logistic regression were analyzed to determine how well aggression as rated by teachers and peers as well as a variety of educational and demographic variables predict high school dropout. Hazard and survivor functions showed that for this sample, aggressive students were at increased risk of dropout through the course of their educational careers. Their pattern of risk, i.e. grades in which they were at a lower or higher risk for dropout, however, was similar to that of non-aggressive students. Peer-rated aggression was related to each of the dropout warning variables as aggressive students were absent more often, had lower GPA’s, accumulated more suspensions and were more likely to be retained at some point during their educational careers. Results of discrete time hazard models showed that aggression was no longer a significant predictor of dropout when other educational “warning flag” variables were included in models. A discrete time hazard model including the effects of time, Age for Grade status and Retention status produced the best goodness of fit measures amongst a host of models that were analyzed. In all models that were analyzed, time was a significant predictor, indicating that dropout is not time invariant and a student’s grade must be considered when determining the effect of any of the hypothesized predictors on dropout. Implications of these results for schools, specifically regarding effective management of aggressive behavior in schools, are discussed.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Fred Hofstetter, School of Education. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 151-168).

This qualitative study examined the dropout crises from the perspectives of Mexican American dropouts labeled as learner disabled who were receiving special education services. Such study is imperative as this group increases both in school and in special education classes. There were two research questions that guided the study: 1. What are the perceptions of Mexican American dropouts who participated in a special education program regarding their educational experiences? 2. What were the factors that influenced these students’ decisions to drop out of school? From the participant interviews, historical academic documents, and rich-descriptive information gathered from the students’ voices, three themes were revealed as the primary reason for dropping out of school: non-responsive school culture, lack of supportive environment, and social factors. It was evident in the data collected that the school culture was unfavorable toward their learning and in meeting successful graduation requirements. Under non-responsive school culture, the following subthemes emerged as underlining factors to their dropping out: (a) low expectations, (b) non-caring for the student, (c) ineffective curriculum content, and (d) social issues at school. School-related factors such as the lack of a supportive environment revealed the following subthemes: (a) symptoms of school failure, (b) negative learning environment, and (c) culturally non-responsive instruction. Other attributing factors for dropping out of school included family structures and peer pressure. While each of the participants had unique experiences, each attributed non-responsive school culture, lack of supportive environment, and social context as major factors for dropping out of school. Therefore, the significance of this study lies in the potential to impact Mexican American student achievement in the reduction of dropouts.

The student dropout dilemma in the American educational system has remained unchanged for the past 30 years. Dropout figures show more than 6 million high school dropouts living in the United States today. The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze potential dropout variables between two groups of senior students at a local high school. This study included 228 senior students who were identified within two groups: on-track for graduation and not-on-track for graduation based on state exit exam results. A student questionnaire and student records were used to gather data. The study included descriptive, multivariate, and analysis of variance to determine the relationship of variables between the two groups that may lead to increased probability of students belonging to either group. Findings from the study suggested the following: 1.Not-on-track students desired more assistance from their school in educational development and planning. 2.On-track students had higher mean averages in academic scores. 3.Not-on-track students had fewer mothers, more children, and more adults living in the family home and were less represented in extracurricular activities. 4.Not-on-track students endorsed more negative responses about themselves. Research suggests that state exit exam requirements for graduation most likely do not cause additional student dropouts; however, research shows that exit exams may be the tipping factor for many students to ultimately drop out. Thus, exit exams can possibly increase student dropouts. The not-on-track students in this study may be at their tipping point. The results from this study show on-track students have fewer dropout factors within their group and higher academic averages than students in the not-on-track group. The following recommendations are based on the study: 1. Further research should be conducted that uses a student need's assessment instrument but includes former students who dropped out. 2. A study that concentrates on student's feelings of their school should be conducted at the middle school grade levels. 3. A study comparing responses of students versus responses of teachers could shine light on the school environment.