Search

Interrupted education of adolescent mothers remains a major concern, but limited evidence-based programming exists to support postpartum schooling of this group. This study aimed to better understand the factors that render some adolescent mothers vulnerable to school non-enrollment, and how to reduce these risks. Data from 1,046 adolescent and young mothers (10–24 years) from rural and urban communities in South Africa’s Eastern Cape was obtained through a questionnaire containing validated and study-specific measures relating to sociodemographic characteristics, schooling, relationships, violence exposure, and health. Using latent class analysis, we explored emerging latent groups and their relationship to mothers’ enrollment in school, college, or tertiary education. The analyses revealed three distinct groups of mothers: The ‘most disadvantaged’ subgroup (39%) experienced multiple risks, including food insecurity, living in informal housing, lacking positive relationships with their caregiver, and the highest distance to school; The ‘disadvantaged’ subgroup (44%) did not experience food insecurity whilst reporting better caregiver relationships and lower distance to school. However, this group still showed high probabilities of residing in informal housing and in communities that expose them to violence; A ‘least disadvantaged’ subgroup (17%) was largely unaffected by economic and community risks and experienced good caregiver relationships. Compared to the most disadvantaged mothers, the least disadvantaged mothers showed the highest probability of being enrolled in education (65% versus 45%). Adolescent motherhood can impede continued enrollment in education and individual-centered interventions alone might not be sufficient to mitigate the risks for non-enrollment. Services and provisions that address severe poverty and improve family relationships might provide an opportunity to positively influence schooling among adolescent mothers.

Social anxiety is significantly prevalent among college students and frequently leads to school dropout and academic underachievement. Since university counseling services are often overburdened, a...

Violence and health inequalities impact the academic outcomes of students, especially among minority groups. This study examines the differences in grade retention and dropout intentions with respect to exposure to violence and to mental health (anxiety, depression, and trauma) among youth living in Puerto Rico. Data from 566 students of fifth to twelfth grade in Puerto Rico were collected as part of a school-based service program. A two-way ANOVA showed no significant differences in exposure to violence and mental health among students with and without a history of grade retention. However, students who reported dropout intentions showed higher exposure to violence and mental health issues. These results highlight the value of assessing mental health and contextual indicators in designing interventions to prevent adverse academic outcomes in vulnerable populations.

Up to two-thirds of South African adolescent mothers drop out of school, which increases their HIV risk and other poor health outcomes. Despite variability in adolescent mothers’ schooling trajecto...

Several states have required K-12 public schools to start after Labor Day in an effort to aid the tourism and hospitality industry. However, little is known about how these policies impact educational outcomes. We examine the impact of Virginia's post-Labor Day school start law on high school retention and graduation rates. We use a difference-in-differences model to exploit exogenous variation in school division start dates. Our results show small differences of up to three weeks have little effect on high school dropout and graduation rates. Our findings inform the debate on post-Labor Day school start laws and compulsory attendance age cutoff laws.

School absenteeism and dropout can have long-term detrimental consequences for young people. It is empirically established that children exposed to positive family processes (PFP) such as parental involvement, support, and high educational expectations have a reduced likelihood of being absent and dropping out of school. In contrast, negative family processes (NFP) such as conflict, maltreatment, low supervision, and harsh punishment have been shown to increase the likelihood of absenteeism and dropout. Using meta-analytic review, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between PFP and NFP and school absenteeism and dropout among primary and secondary school students. Studies were identified through five electronic databases and the reference lists of included and key articles. The relationship between family process and school absenteeism or dropout in primary or secondary school children was analyzed across 33 studies. Effect sizes were used to conduct meta-analyses on overall relationships and multiple outcome analyses. The findings indicated a significant negative relationship between PFP and school absenteeism and dropout and a significant positive relationship between school absenteeism and dropout and NFP. The relationship between PFP and school absenteeism and dropout was strongest for primary school, whereas the correlation between NFP and absenteeism and dropout was strongest for secondary school students. The present findings support a systemic focus in understanding school absenteeism and dropout by highlighting the need for further research into the association between family processes and school attendance. In addition, the findings strengthen the need to view school attendance with a developmental lens and take into consideration family processes critical to lifespan development when designing psychological intervention.

This article shows the data obtained in the research conducted by a model ex-post-facto. We have constructed a questionnaire ad hoc in which we analyse the relationship between Severe Mental Disord...

Traumatic experiences in children are pervasive, and trauma has been correlated with adverse academic outcomes, including school dropout. This research study aimed to answer the following question:...

Reducing dropout rates is a major issue in Cambodia. This study examined the effects of school-level and student-level factors on dropout in rural Cambodian primary schools. We collected data of th...

Reducing school dropout rates has been a challenging policy problem in an effort to improve educational participation and attainment in developing countries. This paper examines the differences in ...

Encouraging involvement in school-based extracurricular activities (ECA) may be important for preventing high school dropout. However, the potential of these activities remains underexploited, perh...

Using the social-ecological approach, this study examined the link between cyberbullying victimisation and the intention to drop out of school among school-aged adolescents in South Korea. This stu...

Many rural Tanzanian students face challenges that hinder their academic preparation which can lead to school dropout. Knowing this, a needs assessment in a rural primary school (grades 1-7) identi...

Although researchers have examined whether dropping out of high school is related to crime, very few have studied college dropouts. It has been argued that dropping out of high school leads to mini...

In recent years, the Royal Government of Cambodia has strongly emphasised the issue of school dropout. To date, many Cambodian workers have still not completed at least nine years of basic educatio...

This study examines how school-level and student-level factors influence primary school dropout in Burkina Faso. School-level factors were found to have a moderate effect in grade three and a small...

The objective of this qualitative research is to better understand school dropout students with depression in Hong Kong and how they overcome their adversities. Three girls and five boys participat...

Education is important for the successful development and growth of individuals and societies, yet some factors adversely affect its provision. This article reports on a study that explored the fac...

Despite great attention and numerous efforts across countries to reduce school dropout, it remains a persistent challenge. One such initiative, named New Possibilities, launched by the Norwegian Mi...

PBIS is has been consistently correlated with reductions in student exclusion including suspensions, expulsions, poor attendance, and high school dropout rates. However, school-wide strateg...

This paper examines which factors influence the opportunities of completing upper-secondary education in Mexico, rather than dropping out of it. Drawing on Sen’s capability approach and Bou...

The phenomenon of school dropout is perceived as a process that is caused by a variety of factors. Through a questionnaire, teachers in different academic functions (teaching and management) are su...

Violence and disorder occurring within schools have received increased attention and scrutiny over the years; however, few have explored how violence and school disorder are influencing the...

The combination of log-linear models and correspondence analysis have long been used to decompose contingency tables and aid in their interpretation. Until now, this approach has not been applied to the education Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS), which contains administrative school data at the student level. While some research has been conducted using the SLDS, its primary use is for state education administrative reporting. This article uses the combination of log-linear models and correspondence analysis to gain insight into high school dropouts in two discrete regions in Kentucky, Appalachia and non-Appalachia, defined by the American Community Survey. The individual student records from the SLDS were categorized into one of the two regions and a log-linear model was used to identify the interactions between the demographic characteristics and the dropout categories, push-out and pull-out. Correspondence analysis was then used to visualize the interactions with the expanded push-out categories, boredom, course selection, expulsion, failing grade, teacher conflict, and pull-out categories, employment, family problems, illness, marriage, and pregnancy to provide insights into the regional differences. In this article, we demonstrate that correspondence analysis can extend the insights gained from SDLS data and provide new perspectives on dropouts. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.

This article examines the effect of coffee price shock on the school dropout status of children in rural Ethiopia. To identify the effect, I exploit the exogenous coffee price shock caused by the 2008 global financial crisis. Using a unique rural data set collected before and shortly after the crisis, I compare the school dropout status of children in coffee-producing and non–coffee-producing villages. The difference-in-difference estimate suggests that the decline in the global price of coffee during the financial crisis increased school dropout rates among children aged 15–18 in coffee-producing villages. The effect is more pronounced among female children in this age group.

This article assesses the relationships between the individual and family characteristics of minors and juvenile delinquency in Romania. This cross-sectional study involved Romanian delinquent minors, 285 of whom were incarcerated in prisons in Romania and 280 subject to educational measures in re-education services in Romania. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that delinquency in incarcerated minors is associated with age, the offence committed, drug use, school dropout rates, recidivism, family alcoholism, the relationship with the biological parents, and the number of biological siblings. The study provides baseline data to identify at-risk minors in order to develop prevention programmes. We have adopted a public health approach to analysing delinquency and targets risk factors.

This article studies the determinants of school dropout decisions for western rural China by using the original and unique survey of 6,000 families in western rural China. Special focus is given to the impact of religion on dropout decisions. We find that children from religious families are more likely to drop out of school than other children, especially for those practicing Tibetan Buddhism. In addition, we find that increase in a child’s age, being a boy, and being part of an ethnic minority will increase the dropout probability while an increase in the mother’s education will decrease the dropout probability. Family income and migration status do not have significant impact on the dropout decision in western rural China.

This study investigates head teachers' perspectives of the school dropout problem at public secondary schools in rural Punjab, Pakistan. The study is based on qualitative methods and included interviews to collect primary data. Sixteen districts of the Punjab where secondary school dropout rate is above 20% were purposively selected for the study. The findings indicate that—other than some socioeconomic and individual factors—different exam patterns at primary, elementary, and secondary levels; easy promotion policy in early classes; English medium syllabus; substandard educational background of students; high failure rate in class 9; and top-down pressures on teachers to perform nonacademic duties are major causes of children dropping out from school. The findings of the study suggest that only through implementation of a socio-culturally compatible syllabus—a corresponding examination system for all levels—allowing students to repeat class 9 in case they fail, setting teachers free from nonteaching duti...

There is increasing awareness of the challenges that young people who do not complete upper-secondary school may encounter. The aim of the current study was to investigate teacher-student relationship as a possible mechanism to reduce the associations between mental health problems, grades, and subsequent noncompletion. Mental health problems and teacher-student relationships were assessed through students’ self-reports in 10th grade, and linked with Norwegian registries of education and sociodemography (n = 10,931). A dual-factor serial mediator model was specified, allowing the effect of mental health problems on school dropout to be mediated by the teacher-student relationship via school grades. Results indicated that teacher-student relationship is a potential mechanism to reduce the negative associations between mental health problems and later noncompletion. However, students with mental health problems seemed to experience less supportive teachers; therefore, interventions targeting teacher...

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.

High school dropouts and their lower employment prospects are a major concern for developed countries. This article answers the question whether the high school curriculum has the potential to affect students’ dropout decision. Focusing on the curriculum is also motivated by the manifold curriculum reforms or reform initiatives worldwide. Using a quasi-experimental evaluation design, we identify the effects of a curriculum reform on students’ probability to drop out of high school in the short run, i.e. for the first three cohorts graduating under the new curriculum requirements. The reform increased the curriculum requirements in high school, for instance, by reducing the freedom of choice in course selection. The results show that high school dropout rates increased for males and females alike.

This empirical note seeks to provide preliminary insights into factors that may have influenced the high school dropout rate in the US cities. For some 300-plus cities for the year 2011, OLS estimates reveal that the dropout rate is a decreasing function of both the per cent of the population that is Hispanic and per pupil public education spending at the elementary and secondary levels. In addition, the estimates find that the dropout rate is an increasing function of the per cent of the population that consisted of families with children and that was classified as being at or below the poverty level and the per cent of the population aged 25 years and older that did not have a high school diploma.

This study examined the dropout trajectories of racial and linguistic minority students and explored the effects of students' contextual factors on their high school dropout risks. Our motivation was to identify the dropout patterns of Black, Hispanic, and Hispanic English language learner (ELL) students, who have comparatively high dropout rates, and to suggest ways to promote high school completion. We employed a survival analysis using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The results showed that the 3 minority groups displayed significantly higher dropout risks than the White group. The overall pattern of dropout risks increased over time, with the dropout rates of the Black students high in the 1st and 2nd years of high school and the highest dropout rates for Hispanic ELL students in their senior year. A gender difference was found among the students, with male students having higher dropout risks than female students. It was also found tha...

Low high school completion rates are an ongoing challenge for educators. This study provides the results of an evaluation of a ninth-grade summer transition program offered at a large public school with a high freshman dropout rate. The evaluation consisted of preprogram and postprogram surveys and interviews with 64 incoming freshman participating in the summer program. Significant gains were shown in participants' Sense of School Belonging and Academic Self-Efficacy. Qualitatively, the data suggest that students gained clarity about their career goals, became better informed about what it takes to become a successful student, connected a diploma to their own career goals, and felt more comfortable in the school and with its teachers. The implications of these findings for prevention of school dropout are discussed.

Educational achievement has important implications for the health and well-being of young women in sub-Saharan Africa. The authors assessed the effects of providing school support on educational outcomes of orphan girls in rural Zimbabwe. Data were from a randomized controlled trial offering the intervention group comprehensive schooling support and controls no treatment initially and then fees only. Results indicated comprehensive support reduced school dropout and absence but did not improve test scores. Providing support to orphan girls is promising for addressing World Health Organization Millennium Development Goals, but further research is needed about contextual factors affecting girls' school participation and learning.

At-risk high school students face many challenges to occupational justice that lead to disconnection from school. They often are occupationally deprived and alienated, leading them to engage in risky behaviors such as gang involvement and substance abuse. They also tend to drop out of school, restricting employment opportunities and ability to maximize their occupational potential. High school students at risk for dropout may benefit from occupational therapy; however, they typically do not receive services or support without an educational diagnosis. Although often an overlooked role for school-based occupational therapists, program development may promote needed school connectedness sought by students at risk and prevent dropout.

This paper addresses the problem of high school dropout rates, identifies what risk factors cause students to be more likely to drop out, and examines the types of programmes in existence that serve as alternative educational settings. The traits and characteristics of successful alternative high school programmes are also identified and critiqued using theoretical perspectives from behavioural, social cognitive, cognitive, and motivational psychology, emphasising particular aspects that significantly contribute to developing and implementing successful alternative programmes. Educators can use the information presented in this article to help create a successful educational experience, not only for those at risk of dropping out of school, but for all of the students they serve.

Actual school dropout among immigrant youth has been addressed in a number of studies, but research on hidden school dropout among immigrant students is rare. Thus, the objective of this paper is to analyze hidden school dropout among primary school students with an immigrant background. The analyses were performed using survey data of 1186 immigrant students in Swiss primary schools. Our results show that immigrant students’ academic achievement, their attitudes towards school-related values, and the quality of their relationships with classmates and teachers were significant predictors of their disengagement during classes. Moreover, our findings strongly suggest that those predictors that are important for actual school dropout are crucial for hidden school dropout as well. We conclude that low-achieving immigrant youth who do not value school and who have poor relationships with teachers and peers are especially at risk of hidden and, eventually, of actual school dropout.

Rural school consolidation has significantly changed the landscape of rural education in China. Based on a study carried out in nine provinces, this article analyzes the effect of this policy initiative. It has led to increased school dropout rates in rural schools.

The outcome evaluation of Pare-Chocs, a school-based cognitive-behavioural (CB) prevention program for adolescent depression, was conducted with 53 adolescents at risk of school dropout and exhibiting high depressive symptoms using a theory-driven evaluation model. Our results show a significant relationship between the intervention and proximal variables: Experimental-group students presented less cognitive distortions and better problem-solving strategies at post-treatment and follow-up. Greater participation intensity predicts less cognitive distortions and better problem-solving strategies at follow-up. Moreover, less cognitive distortions at post-treatment and follow-up are linked to less depressive symptoms. These promising results encourage future evaluative research on school dropout prevention programs linked with at-risk students’ characteristics. For practitioners, they suggest that the implementation of a CB prevention program for depressive symptoms in school settings could lead to decrease d...

School choice may increase student engagement by enabling students to attend schools that more closely match their needs and preferences. But this effect on engagement may depend on the characteristics of the choices available. Therefore, we consider how the amount of educational choice of different types in a local educational marketplace affects student engagement using a large, national population of 8th grade students. We find that more choice of regular public schools in the elementary and middle school years is associated with a lower likelihood that students will be severely disengaged in eighth grade, and more choices of public schools of choice has a similar effect but only in urban areas. In contrast, more private sector choice does not have such a general beneficial effect.

Transitions into and out of the middle grades can be challenging for many reasons. Students need to acclimate to new policies, practices, and buildings; teachers require accurate data about their new students’ capacities; and families must navigate relationships with new personnel. All school transitions present different and, at times, puzzling terrain to traverse. Some students find the move between schools so difficult that they “unlearn” skills and content, beginning a potential spiral toward being retained or even dropping out. Galton, Gray, and Ruddock (1999) estimated that seven percent of 11-yearolds unlearn reading, mathematics, and language skills during their first year of secondary school. However, others have noted that secondary school dropout rates are significantly lower in school districts that have clear

Evidence suggests that new insights can be gained in efforts to reduce high school dropout rates by applying techniques that have proven effective in reducing small business failures. The process o...

Various policy measures have been taken in industrialized countries to reduce school dropout rates. This paper first examines the relationship between truancy and school dropout. Using fixed effects regressions and controlling for truancy peer group effects, we observe that truancy (measured as both a discrete dummy variable and a continuous count measure) positively correlates to early school leaving. A truant has a 3.4 percentage points higher risk of leaving school without a qualification. Second, we exploit the introduction of truancy reporting in a quasi-experimental identification strategy. In essence, the idea is straightforward: if students are better monitored with respect to truancy, schools can identify more easily students at risk. The results indicate that improved truancy reporting significantly reduces school dropout by 5 percentage points.

This study examines school drop outs from the perspective of male adults themselves through interviews with offenders currently serving sentences. Participants were 10 Portuguese male inmates, between the ages of 19 and 46 years of age, incarcerated in two prison facilities of the Azores. Qualitative and interpretative methods were carried out using a semi-structured in-depth individual interview that was audiorecorded and conducted on the basis of a list of topics. Interview transcripts and thematic analysis were used in data treatment and analysis. The findings primarily indicate that poor academic achievement and emotional and behavioural difficulties of participants played a particular role in early school drop out. The trajectories these individuals followed within the education system presented problem behaviour, learning disabilities, and/or foster care interventions. While school drop out circumstances were apparently various, analysis showed that they were underpinned by three distinct sets of conditions generally not addressed by the education system. The analysis of the triggering factors and the maintenance dynamics of school drop outs indicated three distinct types: retention/absenteeism, life turning points and positive resolution. Implications for secondary prevention and screening practices are discussed., FCT (SFRH/ BD/ 44245/ 2008), CIEC - unidade de investigação 317 da FCT

This study investigates risk and protective factors of Taiwanese female students who dropped out of high school. Twenty female youth who had dropped out of high school and who grew up and resided in Taiwan voluntarily participated in this study. Findings revealed particular relational conflicts and coping strategies employed by the girls that contributed to significant vulnerability, conflict at school and school dropout. Implications for social work practice are addressed.

International audience; In both England and France, looked after children are more likely to have problems in school, experience relatively low levels of academic achievement and drop out early from education in comparison with other children. Children in residential care in both countries also tend to represent those in most need. This paper is based on a comparative study into the education of children in residential care in France and in England, with a specific focus on identifying positive responses and initiatives. The research seeks to compare and transfer ideas about how to address the issue of educational engagement and school 'dropout' in children's residential care. The study is conducted within a consideration of both national care systems and public policies. One of the objectives is to identify protective factors and good practice with respect to the promotion of school engagement and positive achievement within the residential care systems for children in England and France. This paper will present the first results and analysis of this research, which compares how both countries respond nationally and locally to the needs of these children. The research took place in two French departments (départe-ments) between 2008 and 2009 and in two English county local authorities between 2009 and 2010. The research includes observations and secondary data analysis as well as interviews with children and professionals.

Communities In Schools, Inc. (CIS) is a nationwide initiative designed to connect needed community resources with schools to help students, particularly those identified as at-risk, successfully learn, stay in school, and prepare for life. As part of a comprehensive 5-year national evaluation of CIS, ICF International conducted a school-level quasi-experimental study on 123 CIS high schools and 123 matched comparison high schools, using public use data from 7 different states. The study examined the differences in high school dropout and graduation rates between CIS and its comparison schools over a 4-year period, starting from the year prior to CIS implementation to 3 years after implementation. Our analyses showed that CIS high schools made stronger gains in on-time graduation rates, and had greater reductions in dropout rates, than comparison schools over the same period. Results were considerably stronger for CIS schools that implemented the CIS model with a high degree of fidelity.

The study sought to better understand the cultural contexts of the risks for adolescent females who have dropped out of school. Focus groups were conducted with 37 Black and Coloured females aged 1...

This article argues that reading interventions are a key dropout prevention strategy. A review of the literature connects reading skills and interventions with events such as grade retention, placement in special education, and high school dropout. In general, data indicate that intensive early interventions positively affect students' reading skills, resulting in lower rates of grade retention, reduced incidence of placement in special education, and higher rates of high school completion. Difficulties with reading may interfere with students' motivation and engagement at school and with learning. The article presents an integrated model describing spiraling, or Matthew, effects across reading competence, student engagement and motivation, and eventual high school completion or dropout. Finally, it describes a student engagement intervention, Check & Connect, along with a rationale for combining student engagement and early reading interventions to promote school completion among youth.