Once learners reach high school, they seem to lose focus and become less interested in fulfilling their educational goals. This leads to learner dropout in schools. Yet, the government expects all children to attend school daily and receive the best education so that they can have a bright future. Education prepares the child for life, if the child drops out, he or she will struggle to succeed in life. There are real social reasons that make it difficult for some learners to succeed and lead to them dropping out of school. For example, many learners in South Africa are extremely poor and they dropout because their parents cannot provide for their families. Dropout learners from poor backgrounds also tend to be involved in crime. Young people are under a lot of pressure and consequently, they end up using drugs, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol instead of going to school. Teenage stress also contributes to learner dropout. The transition from childhood to adulthood brings challenges, thus making teenagers vulnerable to physical and emotional stress. Many learners do not get the support they need when they are experiencing stress. The high stress levels experienced by learners tend to result in high levels of absenteeism. Pregnancy seems to be another contributing factor to the dropout of learners from school. Thus, learner dropout is a significant problem within the South African context. Not only is learner dropout a problem, but it is linked to many other issues that negatively affect society. This study has examined factors influencing learners to dropout. It employed a qualitative research methodology, using interviews and questionnaires to elicit and investigate the causal factors of learner dropouts. The researcher made use of non-probability sampling because it can be regarded as the only sampling method that makes possible representative sampling design. Purposive sampling was used for the research, because it was convenient for the researcher in terms of time. By using purposive sampling the researcher was able to include participants according to the relevant criteria based on the emerging research questions. The principal, one educator and 18 learners in each of the two high schools were chosen as participants of the study. These participants were coming from two high schools, which are located in King William‟s Town District. Learners who participated in the iv study were chosen from grade 10, 11 and 12. There were six learners chosen per grade. The sampling method used to select learners from grade 10 to 12 and educators was purposive sampling. This type of sampling was used because the researcher wanted rich information from participants and individuals who can express themselves very well about the reasons of learners dropping out at school and also who met the sampling criterion of having had the experience of dropping out of school. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors contributing to the dropout rate of learners at selected high schools in King William‟s Town District. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants. The study population was confined to two public high schools in the King William‟s Town District. Using qualitative methodologies, involving a sample of 36 learners, two educators and two principals, the study found multiple motives, associated with individual characteristics of dropouts and social problems emanating from their family background and influence of the community, prompting the learners to dropout. It emerged from the empirical findings of this study that learner dropout is inter alia caused by social factors such as teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, HIV or AIDS infection, gangsterism and learning barriers. These factors are complex issues, which should be handled by skilled people. As learners spend a great deal of their time in the school environment, the educator has become an important role-player to assist learners to alleviate social problems. It is essential that learners with social problems should at an early stage get professional help. The educators who are, due to circumstances, are obliged to help these learners, are not necessarily equipped to give the required assistance. Suggestions and recommendations are espoused to alleviate the situation.

This study examined what Washington high school principals perceive to be the most effective dropout prevention policies and programs. The population included all public high schools in the State of Washington. Five questions were posed: 1. (a) What preventative measures, intervention programs or student services designed to enhance environmental and personal factors are perceived to have reduced dropout rates? (b) Does the availability of those services and programs account for a significant difference in the actual dropout rates? 2. (a) What personal/psychological factors characterize potential dropouts? (b) Do these identifying characteristics account for a significant variance in the actual dropout rates? 3. (a) What environmental factors influence dropout rates in the schools? (b) Do these factors account for a significant variance in the actual dropout rates? 4. What intervention programs or student services are available in the sample? 5. What demographic factors in the sample schools significantly affect dropout rates? The study incorporated both quantitative and qualitative methodology. Ninety six questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 64 percent. The survey gathered information about each school's demographics, opinions about potential dropouts' identifying characteristics, opinions about the school environment availability of services and programs in each building and district, and which programs they felt to be the most effective, ranking the top ten from a list of twenty possible programs, policies, or services. Six schools were visited and their principals were interviewed to get additional information about their programs and effectiveness. Data was statistically analyzed using ANOVA, multiple regression, and paired comparisons. The policies, services, and programs felt to be most effective were: In-house progressive discipline, vocational programs, a written building attendance policy, out-of-building alternative programs, cooperative work programs, freshman bonding programs, small group advisories, in-building alternative programs, a written district attendance policy, a required life skills class, honors courses, and alcohol/drug-related programs. Available programs accounting for a variance in actual dropout rates were: Monetary incentives, child care facilities, English taught as a second language, honors courses, and parent effectiveness programs. Identified personal characteristics accounting for a variance in actual dropout rates were: Working full-time, low self-esteem, parents' background, low grades, teen pregnancy, and being of a racial minority. Environmental factors accounting for a variance in actual dropout rates were: High parent and community involvement with the school, self-esteem classes and small-group advisories, and the Excellence reform. Demographic factors accounting for a variance in actual dropout rates were: economic stability, gender of principal, and use of free school lunch. The research suggests that those programs and practices accounting for a variance in actual dropout rates should be examined for their interaction of involved factors. If the discussed personal and environmental factors are present, those effective interactive practices should be implemented in order to reduce dropout rates.

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Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1993. / Includes tables. Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Frank Smith. Dissertation Committee: Ann Lieberman. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 213-221).

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

The purpose of this study is to examine Hispanic parent's beliefs and attitudes about high school Hispanic drop out rates. This study was conducted to better understand the factors that Hispanic parents believe lead to school dropout as well as prevention.

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.