This dissertation examines the high school dropout problem in Florida using 1980 Census data. The principal advantage of working with Census data is that a microeconomic approach to the dropout question is facilitated by the large number of observations available in the five percent sample. This technique overcomes many of the disadvantages associated with alternative aggregate models. There are three key elements which play a role in the student's dropout calculus: (a) background variables, (b) schooling inputs, and (c) opportunity cost considerations. / U.S. Census data was analyzed using a series of logistic regressions. The results indicated that parental education, the marital status of the parent, marriage before graduation, and early child bearing are the primary determinants of the dropout rate. These findings are consistent with the supporting literature. The data also indicate that minorities are less likely to drop out than their Caucasian counterparts, ceteris paribus. Also significant within the minority community are the adolescent's ability to speak English and living in a household engaged in migrant work. / The results pertaining to schooling inputs and opportunity cost were less harmonious than the results for the background variables. Expenditures per pupil and the student-teacher ratio are the only schooling variables which are consistently significant. The opportunity cost variables are best understood by viewing males and females separately. For males, a farming background and a lower local unemployment rate tend to increase the dropout rate. For females, an increase in the availability of jobs suitable to teens tends to increase the dropout rate. / The Florida dropout model was tested on five additional states (Georgia, Arizona, Louisiana, Connecticut, and Minnesota) and explains 62% of the variation in the dropout rates of these states. The model predicts best for females who live in states with high dropout rates. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-05, Section: A, page: 1832. / Major Professor: James D. Gwartney. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76408 |
| Contributors | Mateer, G. Dirk., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 161 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
Page generated in 0.0015 seconds