Those Who Leave Early: A Study of Young People Leaving Oregon Schools Prior to Graduation

This document presents the findings and recommendations of a study that investigated students who leave school before graduating. The study attempted to determine the proportion of young people who leave school early versus those who graduate, and examined the subsequent schooling/training and job experiences of early leavers. The study investigated high school freshmen of the 1981-82 academic year, and the sample consisted of 20 percent of the freshmen class in large metropolitan schools and all freshmen in the remainder of the schools. The following data were collected for each student who left school: parental information; school attendance information; grades; credits accumulated; special education services; and standardized test forms. Thereafter, telephone interviews were conducted with these students and their families. Findings are reported through a series of graphs and pie charts, and the document concludes with a series of policy recommendations and proposals for future study. (TE)