A Technique for the Construction of a Teacher-Training Curriculum

ABSTRACT

Historically, students who fail to graduate from secondary school are considered as a single category of school dropouts. However, emerging literature indicates that there may be multiple subgroups of high school dropouts, termed a dropout typology. The authors’ purpose was to assess the extent to which a typology of dropouts was present in a large national dataset and to estimate the influence of the known covariates of dropping out on each of the subgroups. A growth mixture model was estimated using the Education Longitudinal Study 2002 (National Center for Education Statistics, n.d.) dataset and noncumulative grade point average during the first 3 semesters of high school. The model identified 2 main subgroups associated with dropping out, which accounted for 24.6% of the sample but contained 91.8% of the dropouts.     

When Dropping Out is Not a Permanent High School Outcome: Student Characteristics,Motivations, and Reenrollment Challenges

The customary perception is that students who drop out vanish from school enrollment rosters for good. This is an incomplete picture of the complex dropout story; dropping out is not necessarily a permanent high school outcome. Following the enrollment and course history of a district cohort of first-time 9th graders, this article documents the cohort's dropout, reenrollment, and graduation outcomes. One-third of dropouts reenrolled in district high schools, and older students and students behind in course credits were less likely to reenroll than other dropouts. Interviews with district administrators, high school principals, and reenrollees examined student motivations for reenrolling and challenges districts face when dropouts reenroll. Dropouts return primarily because of limited employment opportunities and efforts of school leaders to facilitate their return. Yet reenrollment created district challenges related to funding, accountability, and getting students who had dropped out on track to graduate.     

High School Dropout in Proximal Context: The Triggering Role of Stressful Life Events

Adolescents who drop out of high school experience enduring negative consequences across many domains. Yet, the circumstances triggering their departure are poorly understood. This study examined the precipitating role of recent psychosocial stressors by comparing three groups of Canadian high school students (52% boys; M_age = 16.3 years; N = 545): recent dropouts, matched at‐risk students who remain in school, and average students. Results indicate that in comparison with the two other groups, dropouts were over three times more likely to have experienced recent acute stressors rated as severe by independent coders. These stressors occurred across a variety of domains. Considering the circumstances in which youth decide to drop out has implications for future research and for policy and practice.     

Re-examining the impact of dropping out on criminal and labor outcomes in early adulthood

This paper shows that while high school dropouts fare far worse on average than otherwise similar high school completers in early adulthood outcomes such as success in the labor market and future criminal activity, there are important differences within this group of dropouts. Notably, those who feel “pulled” out of school (i.e., they say they dropped out of school to work or take care of family) do similarly with respect to labor market and criminal outcomes in their early twenties to individuals with similar pre-dropout characteristics who complete high school. It is only those who feel they are more “pushed” out of school (i.e., they say they drop out for other reasons including expulsion, poor grades, moving, and not liking school) who do substantially worse than otherwise similar high school completers. These results suggest that any detrimental impacts from dropping out of school arise primarily when the drop out does not have a plan for how to use his time after dropping out.     

Comparing dropout predictors for two state-level panels using Grade 6 and Grade 8 data

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of dropout predictors across time. Two state-level high school graduation panels were selected to begin with the seventh and ninth grades but end at the same time. The first panel (seventh grade) contained 29,554 students and used sixth grade predictors. The second panel (ninth grade) included 31,641 students and used eighth grade predictors. The predictors studied were age, poverty, attendance, gender, and standardized test scores. The data were analyzed using logistic regression. All variables were predictors of dropping out of high school. Age and poverty proved to be the most effective at discriminating between dropouts and graduates within each panel. Age became more effective with time. Attendance and test scores were stable indicators between panels. Gender predicted dropouts for only the ninth grade panel. Eighth graders that were female were approximately 22% less likely to drop out.     

Not all school dropouts are the same: Ethnic differences in the relation between reason for leaving school and adolescent substance use

Several national studies have revealed that students choose to drop out of school for a variety of reasons. Moreover, there are ethnic differences in the reasons dropouts give for leaving school. In the present study, the relation between reason for dropping out and substance use was explored in Mexican American and non‐Hispanic White adolescents. The results revealed that for Mexican American adolescents, substance use was highest among those who left school to be with their friends and lowest among those who left for family‐related reasons. Among non‐Hispanic White adolescents, there were no significant differences in substance use as a function of reason for leaving school. For both ethnicities, nearly one‐third of the dropouts reported that their substance use was an important contributor to their decision to leave school early. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. Recommendations are made for ways in which the reasons that dropouts give for leaving school can be used to inform school programs. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons.     

Is the GED an effective route to postsecondary education for school dropouts?

We use data from the Texas Schools Microdata Panel (TSMP) to examine the extent to which dropouts use the GED as a route to postsecondary education. Lacking suitable instruments that would allow us to directly address potential biases in estimating the “GED path” to postsecondary education, our approach is to base estimates on a set of academically “at risk” students who are very similar in the 8th grade. We observe that the eventual high school graduates in this group have much better postsecondary education outcomes than do the similar at-risk 8th graders who drop out and obtain a GED. We discuss potential explanations for the observed differences in the postsecondary education outcomes of the two groups.     

A follow-along study of postsecondary outcomes for graduates and dropouts with mild disabilities in a rural setting.

Eighty-six students with mild disabilities living in a rural area who had graduated (n = 52) or dropped out of (n = 34) high school were interviewed at two points in time (7 months apart) about their employment, residential status, and participation in postsecondary education and training programs. Information was also collected on students' high school experiences (educational, vocational, and work) and the reasons they dropped out of school. Of the students who had graduated (Caucasian = 26, black = 25, and other = 1), 31 were male and 21 were female. Of the students who had dropped out (Caucasian = 18, black = 15, and other = 1), 22 were male and 12 female. It was found that the majority of graduates and dropouts were employed full-time at both interviews, and held jobs that paid above minimum wage and provided employee benefits, as well. Nevertheless, by the time of the terminal interview, graduates had worked proportionally more time since high school than dropouts and had been employed in their current job more than twice as long. Neither group of former special education students was particularly active in pursuing postsecondary education or training programs. Finally, these former students had participated in a limited range of educational and vocational experiences during high school, both in terms of diploma tracks and vocational education programs. The implications of the findings for long-term employment and community adjustment are discussed.     

Young adults who re‐enter Australian high schools and drop out again

A survey of 1233 Australian school dropouts who re‐entered high school examined the characteristics associated with their subsequent continuation or departure from school. A suite of socioeducational factors was found to correlate with students who were unsuccessful in their reentry attempts. These repeat dropouts exhibited disproportionately as ‘homeless’, as having experienced unemployment, and as being less educationally and occupationally ambitious than those who remain enrolled in their courses. They were more likely to be enrolled at traditional high schools rather than innovative secondary colleges, and to be experiencing practical, interpersonal and discipline‐related problems whilst at school. Discriminant analysis indicated that re‐entry student dropout was most parsimoniously predicted by three factors: extent of interpersonal conflict, educational aspirations and type of school. Implications for the identification and retention of re‐entry students are discussed.     

A Comparison of the Extent of Educational Growth of Mentally Advanced Pupils in the Cedar Rapids Experiment

Abstract

Entering high school freshmen (N-421) during the 1971-72 academic year in a rural Arizona high school were evaluated as to their dropout potential on several criteria. Of the 154 identified as potential dropouts, 36 were randomly selected and received a special academic program and 118 were placed in vocational educational classes. A control group of 94 students was randomly selected from those assigned to the regular classroom. The special academic class was designed to hold potential dropouts in school, as w ell as to modify some of the negative attitudes toward school with which they entered as freshmen. It was found that the special academic group maintained their attitude toward school with no drop in attitude occurring. In contrast, the potential dropouts which were assigned to vocational classes showed a slight drop in attitude toward school while the control group showed a significant decrease. A lower dropout rate also was found among the special academic students than the other two groups, a fact which attests to the effectiveness of the program.     

Analysis of the Variables That Predispose Adolescents to Dropout of Schools

The study investigated the variables that predispose adolescents to drop out of school. The sample for the study was made up of 350 participants drawn from the adolescent school dropouts in Edo Central Senatorial District of Edo State of Nigeria. From the analysis of data, it was found that the following factors predispose students to drop out of schools: financial, home, societal values and personal characteristics of the adolescents. However, peer influence and school factors were found not to predispose adolescents to drop out.     

An Analysis of Primary School Dropout Patterns in Honduras

This study hypothesized that repeating a grade is one reason why Honduran primary students drop out of school but not the main reason. Using longitudinal data, we analyzed student enrollment patterns up until students left school. The results revealed that many students dropped out suddenly without having previously repeated a grade, although many dropouts had also repeated a grade at some point, and repeating a grade experience was not among the most frequently appearing dropout patterns in any of the completed grades. The findings indicated that low expectations of education and the need to enter the labor market were causes of immediate dropout.     

The development in self-regulated learning behaviour of first-year students in the lowest level of secondary school in the Netherlands

This study focuses on development in self-regulated learning behaviour of students in the first year of the lowest level of secondary school in the Netherlands. Students from low socio-economic backgrounds, including ethnic minorities, are overrepresented at this level and their motivation has often been reported to be quite low. Furthermore, the percentage of dropouts is highest at this level: three times higher than in more academically oriented levels. 735 students filled in a questionnaire at the start, the middle and at the end of the school year. Development in self-regulated learning behaviour was best explained by the degree to which students intrinsically valued school work.     

Capable Dropouts and the Social Milieu of the High School

Abstract

Studies of high-school dropouts suggest that many of those who drop out of school have the requisite ability to do passing or even superior work. A conceptual framework is presented which attempts to explain why these capable students leave school.

The basic premise is that a capable dropout is a response to status deprivation experienced primarily by lower-class youth in the informal network of peer relations and in the academic system of the school. The socialization in middle-class families prepares youth to compete successfully in school, while in lower-class families children are not trained to conform to the academic and informal requirements of the school.     

The identification of high-school dropouts identified as learning disabled: evaluating the utility of a discriminant analysis function.

This study examined the utility of a linear discriminant function to distinguish between students identified as learning disabled (LD) who had either been released from high school under codes suggestive of school dropout (n = 213) or graduation (n = 92). The discriminant function was comprised of six variables--student ethnicity, reading ability, family intactness, family socioeconomic status, school transfers, and school-initiated interruptions. The analysis determined that differences between the LD dropout sample and LD graduate sample were sufficient to allow for a discrimination between the groups. On the basis of group differences the discriminant function that was constructed correctly classified 83% of the school dropouts and 46% of the school graduates, for an overall 73% accuracy rate. Those factors contributing most to the function were the number of district-initiated interruptions, school transfers, and family intactness. Based on the findings, implications for school districts and future research are noted.     

Typology of school dropout: The dimensions and dynamics of dropout in Ghana

This paper explores the dropout experience of children who dropped out of schools located in two rural communities¹ in the Central Region of Ghana. The main research question sought to explore the meaning and types of drop out founded on the views of children who had dropped out of school. The study tracked 18 children aged 7–17 years. Snowball sampling was employed to identify participants of the study. Data was collected from children and significant others² using in-depth interviews. Using CREATE's analytical framework of zones of exclusion, this paper identify five type of school dropouts and argues that policies to prevent dropout and encourage drop-in requires specific rather than general targeting.     

Student Disengagement in Relation to Expected and Unexpected Educational Pathways

Students' different educational pathways were examined in relation to their disengagement during adolescence. The participants were Icelandic youth (N?=?832) who were followed from age 14 to 22. Based on their academic achievement at age 15 and educational attainment at age 22 they were classified into groups that took expected versus unexpected paths. The findings indicate that adolescents' behavioral disengagement (negative school behaviors) and emotional disengagement (academic disinterest, disidentification with school) differentiated according to their pathways. At age 14, those “at risk” academically who graduated unexpectedly showed fewer negative behaviors than the expected dropouts. Moreover, high achievers who dropped out unexpectedly showed more behavioral (negative behaviors) as well as emotional (academic disinterest, disidentification with school) disengagement compared to expected graduates. The following year (age 15), in general, disengagement increased among unexpected dropouts but decreased among expected graduates. Males and students from lower-SES backgrounds were generally more disengaged, and males from those backgrounds became more emotionally disengaged during their last year in compulsory school.     

Perspectives of school dropouts’ dilemma in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon: An ethnographic study

This research article explores the perspectives of students, administrators, teachers and parents on the UNRWA school dropouts’ dilemma in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. Based on qualitative methodology, field data are grounded in two forms of data collection: one-on-one interviews with 11 dropout students; and focus group discussion interviews with students, parents, teachers, and school administrators. These stakeholders were drawn from four carefully selected UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) schools in Lebanon. The qualitative study provides ethnographic accounts of the factors underlying and motivations behind students dropping out of school in these communities. More specifically, attention is paid to important issues, including socio-economic status, school curriculum and services, family involvement, and domestic laws governing the participation of Palestinian refugees in various professions. Beyond simply listing these factors, this study amplifies the voices of students, parents, teachers, and school administrators to highlight the different and detailed ways in which such issues interact with the decision to drop out of school.     

Burned out to drop out: Exploring the relationship between school burnout and school dropout

This paper examines the development of school burnout among Finnish youth aged 16–18, specifically with regard to the following three components: a cynical attitude toward the school, feelings of inadequacy as a student, and exhaustion at school. There is evidence of an increase in all three components over time, but only among students on the academic track. There appear to be differences in burnout levels between those who drop out from school and those who do not, and the risk of an individual with high levels of cynicism or feelings of inadequacy dropping out is clearly higher than among those who score low on these two components. When various explanatory variables are controlled for, cynicism still remains a significant factor explaining drop out, and a low grade point average appears to be a major explanatory variable for school dropout. This study is especially interesting in the context of Finland, known for its equality-striving and high-quality educational system. Finnish youth, compared with youth in many other countries, nevertheless have a low level of in-school well-being. We use the Finnish Educational Transitions data (N?=?878) collected in four waves, the first three on an annual basis and the fourth 5 years after the first one.     

A Note On the Relationships Between MTAI and GZTS Scores For Three Levels of Teacher Experience

Abstract

Dropouts are not a homogeneous category, and the evidence indicates that many dropouts are capable of doing satisfactory work in high school. While some dropouts have limited intellectual ability, earn poor grades, are retarded in their grade placement, and are poor readers, many other dropouts do not face these particular problems.

Many of the apparent contradictions in the findings concerning dropouts can be resolved by distinguishing between early and late dropouts. Students with limited ability generally leave school early; capable dropouts tend to remain in school longer. Comprehension of the diverse data concerning dropouts requires specification of three types: 1) involuntary dropouts, 2) retarded dropouts, and 3) capable dropouts.