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Hispanics have a high dropout rate from school. Using the 1976 Survey of Income and Education, analyses were conducted to assess when in the schooling process Hispanics drop out from school. Focusing on Hispanics aged 14 to 25 years, findings suggest that 40% of all Hispanic dropouts leave school before reaching the 10th grade, with most of the pre-high school attrition occurring at the junior high school level. Dropping out among Hispanics peaks in the 11th grade (30% of all Hispanic dropouts), followed by a sharp decline in the 12th grade (7%). Pre-high school attrition clearly is a serious problem for Hispanics, suggesting the need for investigation focusing on the critical junior high school period in which significant numbers of Hispanic youth not only drop out of school, but also experience substantial delays in their educational progress. It is also suggested that pre-high school attrition statistics be placed in the category of social indicators which are analyzed on a regular basis for Hispanics, as well as other relevant subgroups, in order to review trends regarding this most serious issue.

The intent of the authors in preparing this paper is to compare and contrast the roles of Institutional Research in informing decision making and governance in higher education. Using a case study format the authors will provide an example of a research project conducted within each of the following sectors of United States higher education system: private 4-year not for profit, public major research institutions/private specialized institutions, and a pubic state university system. The first case study from the private sector will feature a mixed methodology study that used data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and student focus groups to explore student engagement at this institution and inform faculty development. The second case study will compare the use of data for decision making from the standpoint of large public research institutions and private specialized institutions. The third case study from a state university system focuses on recent initiatives in the public sector to inform the public, the institutions, the State, and the federal government using data from institutional research offices, student engagement surveys, and student learning assessments shared through consortia and national associations. These examples will be discussed within the structure of decision making and governance in higher education.