The study in this article identifies three major risk categories of high school dropouts and evaluates the impact of possible prevention strategies. As students accumulate these risks, they became more likely to drop out and prevention programs become less effective. Additionally, it was found that factors influencing the decision to drop out vary for different sources of risk, and thus there should be a range of prevention strategies offered to accommodate for this variance.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American School Counselor Association. (2005). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
2.
BarringtonB. L., & HendricksB. (1989). Differentiating characteristics of high school graduates, dropouts, and non-graduates. Journal of Educational Research, 82, 309–319.
3.
CarawayK., TuckerC. M., ReinkeW. M., & HallC. (2003). Self-efficacy, goal orientation, and fear of failure as predictors of school engagement in high school students, Psychology in the Schools, 40, 417–427.
4.
ColeyR. J. (1995). Dreams deferred: High school dropouts in the United States.Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service, Policy Information Center.
5.
CroningerR. G., & LeeV. E. (2001). Social capital and dropping out of school: Benefits to at-risk students of teachers' support and guidance. Teachers College Record, 103, 548–581.
6.
DevineJ. (1996). Maximum security: The culture of violence in inner-city schools. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
7.
EdmondsonJ. H., & WhiteJ. (1998). A tutorial and counseling program: Helping students at risk of dropping out of school. Professional School Counseling, 1, 43–47.
8.
EkstromR. B., GoertzM. E., PollackJ. M., & RockD. A. (1986). Who drops out of high school and why? Findings from a national study. Teachers College Record, 87, 356–373.
9.
EnsmingerM. E., & SlusarcickA. L. (1992). Paths to high school graduation or dropout: A longitudinal study of a first-grade cohort. Sociology of Education, 65, 95–113.
10.
EntwisleD. R. (1990). Schools and the adolescent. In FeldmanS. S. & ElliottG. R. (Eds.), At the threshold: The developing adolescent (pp. 197–224). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
11.
FarmerJ. A., & PayneY. (1992). Dropping out: Issues and answers.Springfield, IL: C. C. Thomas.
12.
FarmerT., PriceL., O'NealK., Man-ChiL., GoforthJ., CairnsB., (2004). Exploring risk in early adolescent African American youth. American Journal of Community Psychology, 33, 51–60.
13.
FaskoS. N., & FascoD. (1998). A systems approach to self-efficacy and achievement in rural schools. Education, 119, 292–301.
14.
FineM., & RosenbergP. (1983). Dropping out of high school: The ideology of school and work. Journal of Education, 165, 257–272.
15.
FinnJ. K. (1989). Withdrawing from school. Review of Educational Research, 59, 117–142.
16.
GruskinS. J., CampbellM. A., & PauluN. (1987). Dealing with dropouts: The urban superintendents' call to action.Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
17.
HoltJ. (1995). How children fail. New York: Addison Wesley Longman.
18.
KronickR. F., & HarcisC. H. (1998). Dropouts: Who drops out and why and the recommended action (2nd ed.). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
19.
LehrC., HansenA., SinclairM., & ChristensonS. (2003). Moving beyond dropout prevention towards school completion: An integrative review of data-based interventions. School Psychology Review, 32, 342–364.
20.
National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). A nation at risk.Washington, DC: Author.
21.
O'ConnorP. (1985). Dropout preventing programs that work. Oregon School Study Council Bulletin, 29(4), 1–34.
22.
OrrM.T. (1987). Keeping students in school: A guide to effective dropout prevention programs and services. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
23.
PayneC. (1989). Urban teachers and dropout-prone students: The uneasy partners. In WeisL., FarrarE., & PetrieH. G. (Eds.), Dropouts from school: Issues, dilemmas, and solutions (pp. 113–128). New York: State University of New York Press.
24.
PedhazurE. J. (1997). Multiple regression in behavioral research (3rd ed.). Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace & Co.
25.
PhelanW. T. (1992). Building bonds to high school graduation: Dropout intervention with seventh and eighth graders. Middle School Journal, 24(2), 33–35.
26.
PittmanR. B. (1986). Importance of personal, social factors as potential means for reducing high school dropout rate. The High School Journal, 70, 7–13.
27.
ReyesP. (1989). Factors that affect the commitment of children at risk to stay in school. In LakebrinkJ. M. (Ed.), Children at risk (pp. 18–31). Springfield, IL: Thomas.
28.
RoderickM. (1993). The path to dropping out: Evidence for intervention.Westport, CT: Auburn House.
29.
RumbergerR.W. (1987). High school dropouts: A review of issues and evidence. Review of Educational Research, 57, 101–121.
30.
RushS., & VitaleP. A. (1994). Analysis for determining factors that place elementary students at risk. Journal of Educational Research, 87, 325–333.
31.
SuhS., SuhJ., & HoustonI. (in press). Predictors of categorical at-risk high school dropouts. Journal of Counseling and Development.
32.
TamhaneA., & DunlopD. (2000). Statistics and data analysis.Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
33.
TidwellR. (1988). Dropouts speak out: Qualitative data on early school departures. Adolescence, 23, 939–954.
34.
TindallL. W. (1988). Retaining at-risk students: The role of career and vocational education.Columbus, OH: Center on Education and Training for Employment. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED303683)
35.
TrustyJ. (1996). Counseling for dropout prevention: Applications from multicultural counseling. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 24, 105–117.
36.
TrustyJ., & Dooley-DickeyK. (1993). Alienation from school: An explanatory analysis of elementary and middle school students' perceptions. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 26, 232–242.
37.
ValdiviesoR. (1986). Must they want another generation of Hispanic and secondary school reform? New York: Clearinghouse on Reform Evaluation.
38.
VallerandR. J., FortierM. S., & GuayF. (1997). Self-determination and persistence in a real-life setting: Toward a motivational model of high school dropout. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 1161–1176.
39.
Webster-StrattonC., & ReidM. J. (2003). Treating conduct problems and strengthening social and emotional competence in young children: The Dina Dinosaur treatment program. Journal of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders, 11, 130–143.
40.
WehlageG. G. (1989). Dropping out: Can school be expected to prevent it? In WeisL.FarrarE., & PetrieH. G. (Eds.), Dropouts from school: Issues, dilemmas, and solutions (pp. 1–19). New York: State University of New York Press.
