A Third of Our Youth? A Look at the Problem of High School Dropout Among Students with Mild Handicaps

Abstract

This study examined the demographic characteristics, information at referral to special education, and school history while in special education of special education dropouts and graduates. The groups differed on demographic measures of handicapping condition and ethnic group membership. In addition, their school histories differed markedly in terms of attendance disruptions.Implications of these findings are discussed.

The effects of strategy instruction on the reading comprehension achievement of junior secondary school students.

“…Between 1995 and 1996 ten students with a mean grade equivalent score of 4.9 (mean raw score 31, mean percentile 17, range 15-43) on the (SDRCT), who were placed in inclusive settings with no LA support, moved or dropped out It is important to note that these students who dropped out are reading disabled as assessed by the SDRCT. Thus these findings on dropout are consistent with the findings of Levin, Zigmond, and Birch (1985), Blackorby, Edgar, andKortering (1991), andHasazi, Johnson, Hasazi, Gordon, andHull (1989) who note that up to 51% of learning disabled are believed to drop out of school without completing grade 12. However, most of the research literature examines the dropout behaviour of grade ten to twelve students; little research examines the dropout process before grade ten and little research examines the connection between school achievement failure, behavioural problems, dropout, and reading failure.…”

“…For example, missing from most dropout estimates is the ability to determine how many students drop out then drop back in and how often this occurs (Blackorby, Edgar, & Kortering, 1991;McCaul, Donaldson, Coladarci, & Davis, 1992;Tanner, Krahn, & Hartnagel, 1995). In addition, any students who do not graduate with a diploma are considered dropouts even if they stay in school and complete an alternate program.…”

“…Bender ( 1995) estimates that this rate is actually conservative and predicts that dropout rates in schools without special programs may be higher. In a retrospective study of Washington State adult graduates and dropouts, Blackorby, Edgar, and Kortering, (1991) found that 40% of students labelled leaming disabled had not graduated. There may be more students with leaming disabilities who have not been labelled as such.…”

“…Most interventions identified in the dropout literature have centered on the attempt to change 14 the behavioural characteristics of students with learning disabilities (Blackorby, Edgar, & Kortering, 1991) such as self-esteem (Ciborowski, 1995 p. 91), socio-behavioural problems (Hazel, Schumaker, Sherman, & Sheldon, 1982); social interaction difficulties (Schumaker, Wildgen, Sherman, 1982), absenteeism (Baker, 1990), and lack of school achievement (Shaw, Cullen, McGuire, & Brinckerhoff, 1995). Methods used to induce change in student behaviour have included counseling, behaviour modification techniques, peer tutoring, cooperative learning, attribution training, biofeedback and relaxation training, as well as unsupported treatments such as visual-perceptual training, multisensory instructional approaches, neurological reorganization, biochemical approaches and chiropractic interventions (Bender, 1995).…”

Les élèves à risque de décrochage scolaire : facteurs discriminants entre décrocheurs et persévérants

“…Les élèves en difficultés d'apprentissage et ceux en troubles du comportement constituent des groupes très à risque de décrochage scolaire (Blackorby, Edgar et Kortering, 1991;Kortering, Haring et Klockars, 1992). Les résultats de l'étude rétro-spective de Blackorby, Edgar et Kortering (1991) sont éloquents: sur 462 élèves qui ont des troubles du comportement ou des difficultés d'apprentissage, 85% ont délaissé l'école.…”