Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were significant differences between 1993-1994 twelfth-grade students who participated in an at-risk program and those who did not in their graduation rate, cumulative GPAs, and completion of California University a-f admission requirements. In addition, this study examined the relative degree to which the four program areas (higher expectations, parental involvement, teacher involvement, and computer technology) were perceived to be present in an at-risk program, and their impact on the academic skills and aspirations of the 1993-1994 twelfth-grade students who participated in an at-risk program and graduated from high school. Furthermore, the relationship between cumulative GPAs and the degree to which the four program areas were perceived to be present and their perceived relative impact was explored. Methodology. The sample included 800 ninth-grade students from four high schools in one California school district. All students in this sample were average or below average (25$\\\\rm\\\\sp{th}$ to 65$\\\\rm\\\\sp{th}$ percentile) on the standardized California Achievement Test (CAT). The students chosen to participate in an at-risk program (N = 400) and those matched for the control group (N = 400) were chosen by stratified random sampling. Those who participated and graduated from the program (N = 276) were interviewed by phone concerning their perceptions about the various aspects of the at-risk program. Findings and conclusions. Students who participated in the at-risk program, compared to those who did not, were more likely to graduate from high school, had higher GPAs, and more of them completed University of California a-f admission requirements. Furthermore, students found the at-risk program to be demanding, acknowledged that parents were less involved than teachers, and that computers were incorporated into the at-risk program. The results showed that cumulative GPA had a weak, positive correlation with the perceived degree of parental involvement. Also, there were strong correlations between GPAs and the perceived impact of all the at-risk program elements. Recommendations. Equipped with new knowledge about successful program elements for reducing dropout rates and enhancing the success of average and below-average level, high-risk students, educational leaders are challenged to develop carefully both short-term and long-term, at-risk program plans which involve their staff members in all levels of creating a clear vision for dropout prevention program planning, implementation, and ongoing evaluation. Further research should be done to replicate these findings and determine longer-term effects of this at-risk program.