Study Challenges Linking Dropouts, Early Problems

Students who have a tough time making the transition from elementary school to middle school, or from middle school to high school, may be at greater risk of dropping out than students who perform poorly in elementary school, the results of a new study suggest.

"The results of this study challenge the conventional belief that dropouts are youth who can be distinguished early on in their school careers by their poor grades and lack of attendance,'' writes Melissa Roderick, an assistant professor of el14lsocial-service administration at the University of Chicago, in a paper that has been submitted for publication to the...