xii, 93 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Dropping out of high school may have individual as well as social implications. The process of dropping out is attributed to social and academic risk factors. Attendance, course completion and grade-point-average have been identified as key indicators of students off-track for graduation. This study utilized a single exploratory case design with embedded quantitative statistical analysis to understand the characteristics of 416 students transitioning from three middle schools to a large, suburban high school. Correlation and regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between 12 middle school indicators and ninth grade attendance, course completion, and grade-point-average. Findings suggested that middle school grade-point-average, course grade D, attendance, and ACT math scores were strong predictors of ninth grade performance. The major implications have highlighted key middle school risk indicators for identifying and providing intervention to transitioning students at risk of school failure. / Committee in charge: Gerald Tindal, Chairperson, Educational Leadership; Edward Kameenui, Member, Special Education and Clinical Sciences; Paul Yovanoff, Member, Educational Leadership; Robert 0 Brien, Outside Member, Sociology

This study explored pre-existing quantitative data for 55 students when they were in the seventh grade who eventually attended a continuation high school years later. There were 101 students at a particular continuation high school, and this research explored pre-existing data looking solely at the students who were in the same district while they were in seventh grade. Attendance and grades from the pre-existing data in the district’s software system were analyzed using a descriptive methodology followed by a cluster analysis through SPSS. Attendance findings for the 55 students revealed that nine students (16%) were absent with a frequency of 10 or more days in each semester. Reasons given for some absences were bereavement for four students (7%) and suspensions for 10 students (18%). Eight out of these 10 students (80%) declined in their grades from the first semester to the second semester. Overall, 33 students (60%) declined in their grades from the first semester to the second semester regardless. Findings related to grades looked at the number of Fs over the two semesters of the seventh-grade school year and at the number of Fs earned in each course. Forty-four students (80%) earned at least one F either semester. Language Arts was the highest failed academic class second semester, with 32 out of 55 students (58%), and Computer Applications was the highest failed elective class for 5 out of 9 students (56%) who took this class second semester. Other findings related to grades were that 0 students (0%) failed only the elective, and only 2 students (4%) failed Physical Education. Additional findings through cluster analysis revealed a connection between failing an elective in combination with failing Language Arts: 81.8% first semester (9 out of 11 students) and 83.3% second semester (5 out of 6 students). Using a cross-tabulation, the highest pattern between the two semesters was for 10 students of the overall 55 (18%) with no Fs both semesters, and the second-highest pattern was for 6 students (11%) with no Fs first semester and 1 F second semester.