Two faces of urban high school students: Characteristics of dropouts and persisters

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine characteristics and perceptions associated with dropouts from an urban high school for the 1989 Cohort, and to examine the similarities and differences of those characteristics and perceptions with a similar group which persisted (graduated). The resulting information will be used to help guide the improvement of school practices and provide the basis for recommendations for further study.This research was conducted at a Chicago south side high school. Difficulty in contacting dropouts in this large urban setting and resources used are addressed. Sources discussed are: Chicago Public Schools Research Department, student records, Chicago Public Schools Student Information System, contact with 12 public agencies; contact with six educational programs, mailings, and elementary school cumulative record search for siblings currently enrolled.The 1989 Cohort, which consisted of 301 first-time 9th graders, is presented in five groups: the entire Cohort, those who were still enrolled after graduation, those who transferred, the Persisters (graduates), and the Dropouts. Four characteristics were selected to describe the groups: gender, entry age, entry reading stanine, and mobility (number of elementary school enrollments before entering 9th grade). A profile of each group are presented.After exhausting a wide variety of methods to contact dropouts of the Cohort, only a small number could be reached and even fewer would agree to be interviewed. Based on the difficulty of locating and securing the cooperation of study participants, the researcher interviewed four dropouts that she was able to contact and an equal number of persisters using a researcher-developed Interview Schedule. The schedule consisted of 14 demographic items selected from research literature associated with dropping out of school and 35 open-ended questions. Excerpts from telephone logs and interviews with mothers of the dropouts and persisters are included.Major findings indicated that a smaller percentage of females entered, but a higher percentage graduated. The group with the highest percentage was those who transferred out. Those who tested poorly had the highest dropout rate, with males who tested best, second highest. Also males entered at a higher achievement level but had a higher dropout rate (62.8%) than females (36.9%).U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio