This investigation studied the impact of male student involvement in selected school activities upon grade-point averages, rates of attendance and college entrance examination scores. The main purpose of this study was to provide data for state officials, school administrators, and school boards as they seek to make decisions concerning the activities program and its place in the educational system. The specific purpose was to determine if involvement in selected school activities had any relationship to the variables grade-point average, attendance, and scores on college entrance examinations. The study was carried out in four large Texas high schools with a total student population of 6,456. Male participants in seven major school activities were randomly selected. This process produced a total sample of 280 male students representing participation in seven activities in four high schools. Each activity was represented by a sample of forty male students. The conclusions were drawn that (1) there is a positive relationship between participation in the activities program by male students and attendance rate, grade-point average, and scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test and (2) there was no negative relationship between participation in the activities program and the participants' ability to receive a high school education.

This research report looks into the factors that cause truancy among secondary school pupils. The aim is to establish ways in which the African Secondary School teachers can manage the problem. It is argued that the causes of truancy are multifaceted. Thus in attempting to understand these causes and to develop strategies to manage truancy, several approaches are considered, which focus on the individual truant, the family, the community and, in particular school, related factors. Empirical research was undertaken in the Galeshewe, Kimberley area with particular reference to Tlhomelang High School. Questionnaires were administered with the staff and interviews were conducted with both staff and pupils. Data was also obtained from official records. It is concluded that a major cause of truancy is the absence of a culture of teaching and learning. A number of recommendations are proposed to manage these problems. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1992.

This dissertation is a study of the effect of Texas's charter high schools on diploma graduation and General Educational Development (GED) attainment. Utilizing data from the Texas Schools Project at the University of Texas at Dallas, the study follows a cohort of Texas students enrolled as 10th graders in the fall of 1999 and tracks their graduation outcomes through the summer of 2002 when they were expected to have completed high school. The analysis uses case study research and probit regression techniques to estimate the effect of charter school attendance on graduation and GED outcomes as well as the effect of individual charter school characteristics on charter students' graduation outcomes. The study's results indicate that charter school attendance has a strong negative effect on diploma graduation and a strong positive effect on GED attainment. In addition, the study finds that charter schools that offer vocational training, open entry/exit enrollment options, and charters that are operated in multiple sites or "chain" charters have positive effects on charter students' diploma graduation outcomes. Charters that offer accelerated instruction demonstrate a negative effect on diploma graduation. The study finds that charter school graduation outcomes improve as charters gain experience and that racially isolated minority charter schools experience reduced graduation outcomes. The study's results also indicate that Texas's charter high schools may be providing district schools with a means through which to offload students who may be difficult to educate. The analysis finds that districts may be pushing low-performing high school students with attendance and discipline problems into charter schools in order to avoid the effort of educating them and to improve district performance on accountability measures related to standardized test scores and graduation rates. This finding suggests that that competition from charter high schools will not provide much incentive for districts to improve their programs, undermining a central premise of school choice initiatives.

The purpose of this project was to design a year long course curriculum in educational development. The curriculum will serve the educational needs of many Mexican-American high school students who academically need it.

This study examined differences in retention, graduation, and dropout between students in grades 9-12 in special education and regular education in the state of Texas for school years 1992-93 through 1995-96. The purpose was to gather information regarding the possible adverse effects of increased academic standards and mandatory testing on students with disabilities. The results indicate that when compared to students in regular education, students with disabilities are significantly more likely to be retained and are not experiencing the same decline in dropout rates as regular students. There is no indication that students with disabilities have been adversely affected by school reform but the size of the school district may play a significant role in whether or not students with disabilities dropout of school.

This study examined the prevalence and the nature of truancy among early adolescent learners attending secondary schools in the Education Management and Development Centre (EMDC) in the eastern metropole of the Western Cape. The main purpose of the study was to answer the following question: How can secondary school educators, in loco parentis, be equipped with the required skills and resources in order to deal with the issue of truant behaviour among early adolescent learners? A comprehensive literature review was conducted to explore the character and extent of truancy. Thereafter, various theories of child development were highlighted, followed by a synopsis comprising different dimensions of the development of the early adolescent learner. The empirical investigation was carried out through quantitative as well as qualitative research methodology. A focus group interview was conducted with six learners, offering them an opportunity to express their perceptions and experiences as truants. Interviews were conducted with principals to obtain their impressions regarding truant behaviour. Thereafter, a questionnaire, which investigated truancy related aspects such as interaction with peers, parents and caregivers' involvement in learners' school activities, educators' influence on learners' school work and learners' self-esteem regarding their schooling, was administered to three hundred learners. The quantitative investigation revealed significant aspects about truant behaviour, indicating that predominantly more male than female learners (173 male and 26 as in the case of the present study) display this type of behaviour, truants generally originate from single parent families, and that they experience their educators and learning environments as extremely negative. Finally, two in-depth case studies were conducted on two learners, one identified as a truant and the other as a non-truant respectively. The purpose of the in-depth studies was to explore possible differences in their experiential worlds. Although the qualitative data is not generalisable, the findings of the case studies have revealed significant differences in the life worlds of the two learners. Comparatively speaking, it appears that non-truant learners are significantly better adjusted on all their functioning levels than truant learners. The results of the empirical investigation were compared with relevant findings which emerged from the literature study. Based on the present investigation, the study was concluded by offering a range of recommendations to secondary school educators, in loco parentis, empowering them in addressing the phenomenon of truancy among early adolescent learners in the Western Cape with its distinctive problems. / Educational Studies / D. Ed.(Psychology of Education)

This study examined the prevalence and the nature of truancy among early adolescent learners attending secondary schools in the Education Management and Development Centre (EMDC) in the eastern metropole of the Western Cape. The main purpose of the study was to answer the following question: How can secondary school educators, in loco parentis, be equipped with the required skills and resources in order to deal with the issue of truant behaviour among early adolescent learners? A comprehensive literature review was conducted to explore the character and extent of truancy. Thereafter, various theories of child development were highlighted, followed by a synopsis comprising different dimensions of the development of the early adolescent learner. The empirical investigation was carried out through quantitative as well as qualitative research methodology. A focus group interview was conducted with six learners, offering them an opportunity to express their perceptions and experiences as truants. Interviews were conducted with principals to obtain their impressions regarding truant behaviour. Thereafter, a questionnaire, which investigated truancy related aspects such as interaction with peers, parents and caregivers' involvement in learners' school activities, educators' influence on learners' school work and learners' self-esteem regarding their schooling, was administered to three hundred learners. The quantitative investigation revealed significant aspects about truant behaviour, indicating that predominantly more male than female learners (173 male and 26 as in the case of the present study) display this type of behaviour, truants generally originate from single parent families, and that they experience their educators and learning environments as extremely negative. Finally, two in-depth case studies were conducted on two learners, one identified as a truant and the other as a non-truant respectively. The purpose of the in-depth studies was to explore possible differences in their experiential worlds. Although the qualitative data is not generalisable, the findings of the case studies have revealed significant differences in the life worlds of the two learners. Comparatively speaking, it appears that non-truant learners are significantly better adjusted on all their functioning levels than truant learners. The results of the empirical investigation were compared with relevant findings which emerged from the literature study. Based on the present investigation, the study was concluded by offering a range of recommendations to secondary school educators, in loco parentis, empowering them in addressing the phenomenon of truancy among early adolescent learners in the Western Cape with its distinctive problems. / Educational Studies / D. Ed.(Psychology of Education)

No description available.

Truancy is one of the problems that exist in schools and affect learners' performance. The aim of the current study was to determine how truancy manifests and also to explore the life world of truants in secondary schools. From the literature review, the two types of truancy, namely blanket truancy and post-registration truancy were described. Various programmes and approaches used in truancy intervention were explored. An empirical investigation was undertaken with a sample of 758 Grade 10 learners from three secondary schools. The results indicated that significantly more males than females engaged in truancy. There is also a significant dependency between learning problems and truancy. The results of the study were analysed and recommendations for intervention and for further study were made. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

The main purpose of this study was to determine the management of the phenomenon of learners’ partial absenteeism and late coming at four public secondary schools of the Tshwane West (D15), in the light of the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) Circular 13 of 2002. Respondents targeted for data collection were members of the School Management Teams (SMTs) of the four public secondary schools (n35). To address the initial propositions of this study, a qualitative case study research design and its techniques for data collection and analysis were used. The emergent findings indicated that: absenteeism during school hours (partial absenteeism) and late coming, which also applies to educators, are rife across the four participating public schools. SMT members’ limited knowledge of school management in general, and the GDE’s Circular 13 in particular, were found to be the main barrier to the effective management of partial absenteeism and late coming. Additional contributory factors were learner’s attitude and conduct and poor school infrastructure. Recommendations to help address the problem under inestigation are also made. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Management and Leadership)