The study was designed to describe an urban district's alternative high school population in terms of a conceptual framework drawn from three bodies of literature: dropout studies, supplementary/compensatory education, and alternative schools studies. Educational histories prior to alternative school entry were traced through district records and documents for 757 students and a focused interview was conducted with 81 students in order to obtain their perceptions of both regular and alternative educational experiences during their school careers. A qualitative data analysis was conducted to determine the study population fit with traditional descriptors for high-risk, to examine district responses in terms of educational program experiences in both regular and alternative schools, and to obtain insights into possible relationships between the two. Overall, the sample population most clearly matched traditional personal/social descriptors for potential dropout/high-risk in terms of sex representation, between-district mobility, and because they had experienced some period of dropout. Nearly half the sample had been suspended at least once during district enrollment. There was less fit in terms of grade-level representation, minority enrollment and school achievement. Larger numbers of eleventh and twelfth graders were enrolled than the literature would suggest. Minority students, traditionally over-represented among dropouts, are under-represented in the sample programs. As a group, the population is achieving in terms of basic skills competencies tests, but over half the sample has a history of participation in supplementary/compensatory and/or other alternative programs early in their careers. Students described teachers as the most critical component of their educational experience. While an instructional "helping" relationship and its consistent contribution to student success was often noted, a more personalized teacher-student relationship was mentioned even more frequently. Students identified early in their careers for supplementary/compensatory programs reported an affective as well as achievement-oriented dimension in those experiences, and described themselves as learners dependent upon the kind and level of individualized help and attention received in those settings and in the alternative setting as well.

This investigation attempts to identify factors which influence whether or not someone is likely to drop out of a chemical dependency treatment program. Dropping out is defined as someone who leaves treatment against medical advice. The subjects were patients from a private, non-profit, medically based, residential program. Nine demographic characteristics were abstracted from the charts on file for the patients at the treatment center. Two groups of 45 patients each were selected from the inpatient population. One group, the Completed Treatment group, comprised patients who had completed the 28 day program. The second group, the AMA Discharge group, comprised patients who dropped out of treatment within the first 4 to 10 days. The demographic characteristics analyzed were gender, number of drugs used by the patient, drug preference, method of admission, treatment history, marital success, social status, dependents living at home, and education.

The report presents an implemention of a classification algorithm for the Institutional Analysis Project. The algorithm used in this project is the decision tree classification algorithm which uses a gain ratio attribute selectionmethod. The algorithm discovers the hidden rules from the student records, which are used to predict whether or not other students are at risk of dropping out. It is shown that special rules exist in different data sets, each with their natural hidden knowledge. In other words, the rules that are obtained depend on the data that is used for classification. In our preliminary experiments, we show that between 55-78 percent of data with unknown class lables can be correctly classified, using the rules obtained from data whose class labels are known. We feel this is acceptable, given the large number of records, attributes, and attribute values that are used in the experiments. The project results are useful for large data set analysis. / viii, 38 leaves ; 29 cm. --

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that cause high school students to drop out. The method for this project was a review of literature collected through journal articles, the internet and books. The factors found to play the biggest role were race, academic age/grade, and gender.

The influence of background characteristics on dropouts from a Job Corps Center was investigated using a Biographical Information Blank. Successful and unsuccessful male and female volunteer Corpsmembers were compared and the data analyzed by univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. Results strongly support the prediction that biographical characteristics are important in determining Corpsmember failure in the program. It was also found that the nature of family and peer relationships; previous social adjustment and structured activity and factors related to ethnicity and cultural attitudes are influential. There are also indications that potential dropouts may be affected in a positive manner to complete their training.

School districts constantly struggle to find solutions to address the high school dropout problem. Literature supports the need to identify and intervene with these students earlier and in more systemic ways. The purpose of this study was to conduct a longitudinal examination of the relationship between sustained afterschool participation and the host district’s early warning index (EWI) associated with school dropout. Data included 65,341 students participating in an urban school district’s after school program from school years 2000-2001 through 2011-2012. The district serves more than 80,000 students annually. Data represented students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12, and length of participation ranged from 1 through 12 years. Results indicated that student risk increased over time and that persistent participation in afterschool programming had a significant relationship with student individual growth trajectories. Slower growth rates, as evidenced through successive models, supported students being positively impacted by program participation. Additionally, participation was more meaningful if students persisted, as noted in the lower EWI rates, as compared to students who attended less consistently.

The purpose of this study was to develop a prediction model for graduation rate at non-residential research universities. As well, this study investigated, described, and compared the student characteristics of non-residential and residential institutions. Making distinctions between significant predictor variables at non-residential research universities and significant predictor variables at residential institutions was also an aim. The researcher obtained data from the Integrated Postsecondary Data System. Student and institutional variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, analysis of variance, and regression analyses. Results indicated that student and institutional characteristics can be used to significantly predict graduation rate at nonresidential institutions with student variables yielding greater predictive power than institutional variables. As well, residential status was found to moderate the relationship between undergraduate enrollment and graduation rate. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This study examines the relationship between exercise adherence and several factors: self-motivation; attitudinal commitment; predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing (PER) factors; and barriers related to exercise. The sample (N=431) consists of employees at Texas Instruments, Incorporated in Dallas, Texas. The sample was placed into six comparison groups: high adherers, low adherers, nonparticipants who exercise, nonparticipants who do not exercise, dropouts who exercise and dropouts who do not exercise. Using a one-way ANOVA, the results show significance (p<.01) among the groups for: self-motivation and barriers. Attitudinal commitment and PER factors did not show significance. The results can be applied to worksite health programs to increase exercise adherence among employee populations.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a six-week career planning dropout prevention program on the self-concepts and academic achievement of at-risk middle school students in an inner-city public school environment. The research population consisted of 1,434 students (grades seven, eight and nine) attending an inner city public junior high school in south-central Los Angeles, California. The selection of the research site and sample was based on the assumption that the student population met the criteria and demographic profile of at-risk students: Students are from low-income and/or single parent families; have low achievement scores in reading and mathematics; exhibit a high incidence of truancy, absenteeism and teenage pregnancy; have low career aspirations and plans; and exhibit other related characteristics of at-risk students. The study was conducted from September, 1993 to January, 1994 (fall semester, 1993). All students were selected by random procedure from grades seven, eight and nine. The experimental group consisted of 195 students enrolled in a woodworking class. The control group consisted of 1,239 students who were not enrolled in a woodworking class but were enrolled in other elective classes. The experimental treatment consisted of a six week career planning dropout prevention program. The career planning dropout prevention program was infused into the 20-week woodworking class during the 6th through 12th week, and consisted of seven interrelated topics and lesson plans. The objectives of the study were to research and explore career interests and options, and to construct personal career planning portfolios for students in the experimental group. It was concluded that: a) There were no significant differences between pre and post measures of self-concept in the experimental group, b) There was no significant difference in the pre and post academic achievement scores between the control and experimental groups, c) There was a substantial increase int he academic achievement scores of the experimental group, but this increase did not equal or exceed the alpha value. / Graduation date: 1997

Thesis (M.S.)--Naval Postgraduate School, 2002. / Thesis advisor(s): William Bowman, Kenneth Thomas. Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-92). Also available online.