Term of Award

Spring 2014

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development

Committee Chair

Dr. Jim Green

Committee Member 1

Dr. Teri Ann Melton

Committee Member 2

Dr. Jason LaFrance

Abstract

The dropout rate among Georgia high school students is a critical issue within the United States’ educational system. As a result, large numbers of programs have been created to reduce the dropout rate. This study examined the stakeholders’ perceptions of dropout prevention strategies in a rural ninth grade academy to examine effective dropout prevention programs implemented at the school. Participants in the study included administrators, teachers, and students who dropped out of the academy between 2009 and 2012. Interviews were conducted to gather information from the participants. In addition, school and district documents related to prevention programs at the academy were reviewed. For data analysis, emergent themes from participants’ responses were used to describe participants’ perspectives of dropout prevention programs at the academy. The results of the study showed that the administrators, teachers, and students were all aware of the programs being implemented at the academy. The administrators and the teachers believed that the dropout prevention programs resulted in a reduction of the dropout rate at the academy. However, the students did not agree that the programs reduced the dropout rates. It was recommended by both teachers and students that dropout programs should include more activities to involve parents and encourage students to remain in school.

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