Subject

The subject of this article is finding what interventions can be done in order to keep students interested in staying in school.

Purpose

The purpose is to relay different intervention programs that districts can put in place to keep students in school.

Population

            The population studied was high school students, since they are trying to decrease the dropout rate.

Findings/Results

            The study found that the interventions seemed to prove beneficial to decreasing the drop-out rate in high school.

Reference

http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-928/risk.htm
Implications for Education

            The article described at risk students as students who are not successful in school. They usually have low self-esteem and are low achievers. Most of the students are minorities and come from low income families. At-risk students do not participate in any school activities neither in school nor after school. They usually exhibit family problems, and truancy which leads to financial problems.

            ESPAS, DAS, and SSI have been established as means of determining the dropout rate among students. ESPAS is Elementary School Pupil Adjustment Scale. It identifies students who have not adjusted well in grades K-3. DAS is the Dropout Alert Scale. It identifies students in grades 4-12. SSI or the Student Sensitivity Index measures the amount of poorly adjusted students in grades 7-12. Students need to be identified as early as possible since their family status can change at any time. Researchers believe that students begin their at-risk status in the earlier grades with low achievement and frequent absenteeism.

            There are several programs that prove to be essential to aiding these students. These programs can sometimes motivate the students to do better and encourage them to continue their education. These programs partner the students with qualified and caring staff. Most of the programs are service-intensive. The New Haven Schools Project (CT) is a nineteen year old project in the New Haven Elementary School District. All staff work together to provide the students with the best possible learning environment to ensure success. One school originally ranking thirty-third in achievement now ranks third. They have successfully mastered innovating new solutions and techniques to keep the at-risk students involved in school.