Students from small towns completed surveys on school safety, bullying, drug use, and other school climate issues. About 56 percent reported neither bullying nor victimization. Bully/victim status varied with age and gender and significantly related to risk factors like smoking and drinking. Bullies were more likely to use drugs and tobacco,…

Focus groups with typical high school students, alternative school and high school students at risk for failure, and alternative and high school teachers of at-risk students examined their perceptions of school goals for such students, barriers to reaching those goals, and accommodations available to help students. Discusses the thematic…

Presents data on the 25 occupations that have the greatest predicted numerical growth and typical education and training levels, comparing total employment for 1996 and 2006 and comparing the percent increase in total employment from 1996-2006. Occupations include food services, sales, health, education, retail, labor, computers, office, trucking,…

Investigates what language minority and language majority high school students believe about various issues related to bilingual education programs. Data from student surveys and narratives indicate that bilingual education programs appear to be effective, with many language minority students learning to speak English, though some students found…

Compared urban at-risk children's responses on the Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children to norms established primarily on middle class samples. Results revealed similarities and differences in how urban at-risk children assessed their competencies. The data suggest that domains of competence can differ in interpretable ways as a function…

Discusses how people interpret others' experiences and understandings, particularly when they differ from their own. Describes experiences with African American teenagers from an inner city theater ensemble who were successful but struggled to do what many people take for granted. Suggests that people working with at-risk teenagers should examine…

Describes a partnership between university education faculty and an urban public alternative high school. University faculty worked closely with teachers and students to increase students' chances of graduating. The research-based program was based on effective schools research and instructional best practices. The program resulted in real…

Presents a case study that follows one high school's peer conflict mediation efforts to reduce violence. Over 8 years, suspensions for fighting decreased dramatically, verbal confrontations between students decreased somewhat, and the general atmosphere on campus grew more relaxed, with students relating better to one another and the school…

This table reports on juvenile arrests in 1998 by state and type of crime (violent crime, property crime, drug abuse, and alcohol violation). The violent crime index includes the offenses of murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The property crime index includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor…

Investigated the attitudes and behaviors related to alcohol use of adolescent males with emotional disturbances. Results from focus group interviews highlighted four attitudes and behaviors: rationalization of their drinking, self-absorption (disregard for the feelings of others and the consequences of their actions), drinking with peers versus…

Investigated factors affecting high school students' attendance. Data from student, staff, and administrator interviews and review of attendance data revealed serious problems in how students perceived they were treated by staff and peers as well as problems related to school climate and curriculum and instruction, which destroyed student…

Addressed the internal consistency coefficients of scores on self-concept and other composites in different risk groups and the relationship between self-concept variables and variables measuring behavioral and psychological functioning. Scores from at-risk high school graduates and dropouts and not-at-risk students indicated that the reliability…

Looked beyond socioeconomic indicators to seek underlying influences on rural high school seniors' dropout/completion decisions. Data came from school records and student surveys. Students were grouped by gender, and variables of Everett's (1996) model were analyzed. The predictor model for males had a 88.89 percent correct classification rate.…

Suggests that standards-based reform is doomed to fail unless states use their newly established, more rigorous standards to develop interventions that provide teachers with the skills and knowledge required to teach to the higher standards and students with additional opportunities to achieve the higher standards. (Author/SLD)

Examines the impact of street mathematics on African-American students in one inner-city elementary and one urban high school. Offers suggestions for using street mathematics as an alternative to traditional mathematics instruction for at-risk students. (SLD)