Reports- Research/Technical (143) PUB DATE

To identify behavioral and attitudinal differences between students who became high school dropouts and students who remained in school, sophomores from Illinois who participated in the National High School and Beyond Study (N=1,950) were interviewed and tested. Their responses were weighted to represent the total sophomore enrollment for Illinois and a profile of student behavioral and attitudinal characteristics was compiled. In 1982, participants from the 1980 study completed follow-up questionnaires. A portion of their responses (N=166) were weighted to represent an estimated number of respondents who would drop out of school by the spring of 1982. Comparison of dropout profiles with profiles of students who continued high school showed thatdropouts were more likely to report failing academically, being absent or tardy, lack of interest in school, and being subject to disciplinary actions. Of the Hispani