Study of Variation in Dropout Rates Attributable to Effects of High School (From Dropouts, Pushouts, and Other Casualties, P 105-113, 1988, William, T. Denton, ed. -- See NCJ-117047)

• NCJ Number: 117053
• Author(s): R Toles; E M Schulz; W K Rice
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 9 pages
• Sale Source: Phi Delta Kappa
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Reprinted from a Metropolitan Education, Number 2, Fall 1986.

Annotation

Data from the records of 26,168 students who entered 63 public high schools in Chicago were examined to identify the effects of school characteristics on school dropout rates and to suggest ways in which the resulting unbiased indicator of school performance can be used to direct further research into the effects of school characteristics on dropout decisions.

Abstract

Information was gathered on the high school entered at ninth grade, gender, race, entry age, eight grade reading score, and leave status (still enrolled, transferred, graduated, or dropped out). Regression analysis was used to eliminate the effects of student characteristics. Results indicated that community or neighborhood support for schools is an important variable. Other possible variables include school safety, school discipline, course grading policies, amount of homework assigned, and type and degree of support for less able students. Some of the schools studied had low dropout rates and poor performance rankings. The differences between dropout rank and performance rank could be used to select schools for comparative study aimed at identifying characteristics that make a school effective. Tables and 3 references.