School Counselors' Accuracy in Identifying Adolescents at Risk for Dropping Out

Wells, Don, Miller, Mark J., Clanton, Robert C., Adolescence

ABSTRACT

School counselors were asked to identify, using qualitative judgments alone, adolescents who they believed were at moderate risk for dropping out. These students were then administered a dropout prediction scale. Results indicated that the school counselors accurately identified potential dropouts. The paper concludes with a discussion of the ties between dropout identification and consultation with teachers.

Preventing students from dropping out of school has become a highly important, multidisciplinary issue. Parents, teachers, and school counselors and psychologists must all participate in prevention efforts (Bucci & Reitzammer, 1993). Two essential elements of this effort are the accurate identification of at-risk students and ongoing consultation among school personnel (Miller, 1988).

The 1986 College Board report, Keeping the Options Open, recommended that school counselors take a more active role in assisting teachers to identify students at risk for dropping out. The report also stressed the need to develop and implement distinct methods of guidance and counseling for these students, who traditionally have not been well served by schools. Talley and Short (1995), responding to the Goals 2000-Educate America Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1994, stated that, "by working as partners with other concerned professionals and the community-at-large, psychologists can implement and evaluate comprehensive, wrap-around programs designed to motivate students to attend school and participate actively in the learning process" (p. 2).

Given the enormous impact that dropping out has at the societal and personal levels, the identification of those at risk is crucial. Researchers have repeatedly demonstrated …

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Publication information: Article title: School Counselors' Accuracy in Identifying Adolescents at Risk for Dropping Out. Contributors: Wells, Don - Author, Miller, Mark J. - Author, Clanton, Robert C. - Author. Journal title: Adolescence. Volume: 34. Issue: 135 Publication date: Fall 1999. Page number: 457. © 1999 Libra Publishers, Inc. COPYRIGHT 1999 Gale Group.

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