Assessed what urban African American custodial parents perceived as barriers to school involvement and strategies to facilitate involvement. Data from surveys of and interviews with parents of students at low-performing Florida elementary schools indicated that poor communication between home and school, lack of child care, and lack of…

Discusses the needs of homeless students, especially those with disabilities, suggesting some simple strategies for school personnel to help homeless students maximize their fullest potential (e.g., locating the students and bringing them to school for enrollment, providing transportation to school, offering nutritious meals and clean clothing,…

Describes the at-risk student population, identifies their learning characteristics and psychological needs, and presents the case for creating a sense of place for them as an effective educational intervention. Based on research studies, the paper contends that the ability to meet at-risk students' needs lies within an understanding of ecological…

Describes South Carolina's new state early childhood program, First Steps to School Readiness. Includes a profile of the state's at-risk child population, noting poverty and education risk indicators, and describing key program components. The article discusses program oversight, local program partnerships, program funding mechanisms, and local…

Examined the ability to classify students into different risk groups based on self-reported risk and protective factors. Data on rural honor society students and at-risk graduates and dropouts indicated that at-risk students differed from honor society students on demographic and school-related risk factors. At-risk graduates reported higher grade…

Followed 9th grade teachers and their students as they began a teaming initiative to address urban educational challenges. Results showed that teaming meant the development of an ethos of collaboration manifested in everyday interactions among team members. This enhanced teachers' ability to transform their world of work, though their…

Analyzed the effectiveness of a high school program designed to address student deficiencies in English skills while helping students develop an attachment to school within a traditional academic setting. Data analysis indicated that, as a group, students enrolled in the at-risk skills program improved their language and reading skills and…

Introduces a collection of papers that address the High/Scope Foundation's approach to risk reduction and dropout prevention. Examines High/Scope's history and describes various High/Scope efforts (e.g., the Michigan School Readiness Program Evaluation, preschool and elementary curriculum development and training, movement and music curriculum…

Describes results from the Perry Preschool Project, which began in 1962 to assess whether high-quality preschool programs would provide short- and long-term benefits to impoverished African American students. Longitudinal data indicated that compared to nonparticipants, participants had significantly higher earnings, percentages of home and second…

Describes the High/Scope Preschool Curriculum, an approach that supports young children's learning and enables children, particularly those at risk, to achieve greater school success and adult socioeconomic status. Discusses the central principles of curriculum: active learning, positive adult-child interactions, child-centered learning…

Presents findings from a longitudinal evaluation of the effectiveness of the Michigan School Readiness Program, which targeted four-year-olds at risk for school failure. Compared to nonparticipants of similar age and socioeconomic background, 24 percent more participants passed the grade 4 state literacy test, 16 percent more passed the…

Investigated the impact of an after-school tutorial program on the academic achievement of high-risk, predominantly minority high school students. Data on the students' grades indicated that on average, the majority of students received passing grades. A main effect for discipline was found, with achievement levels for English significantly higher…

Compared the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary dropout prevention science course with a traditional dropout prevention course. Analyses of process and recall skills from the district's science achievement tests revealed significant differences in academic performance for curriculum type, gender, and race/ethnicity, with no significant…

Investigated the perceptions of school personnel regarding migrant students' educational experiences. Interviews with principals, teachers, and migrant advocates from high-migrant areas indicated that factors affecting migrant students' school performance included social prejudice, lack of communication between students and schools, mobility, lack…

Developed a predictive model for profiling potential high school dropouts during middle school. Data collected from archival sources presented a profile, which included being retained more often, being overage, receiving free/reduced lunch, being less likely to participate in high school athletics, receiving more Ds and Fs, having poorer…