Pathways to dropping out

This study investigated the perceptions of a select group of black males about their school experiences. The purpose of the study was to compare the perceptions of dropouts with the perceptions of in-school participants to predict the likelihood of the in-school participants becoming dropouts.

The participants were 20 black male dropouts, 10 black male eighth-grade students, and 10 black male fifth-grade students. Participants resided in a rural setting in two southern states. Data for the study came from self-reports of the participants. Predictors of dropouts were identified from the literature, and interview questions were developed from these predictors.

The findings of the study supported other recent research. The black males studied reported being retained in earlier grades, belonging to single-parent families, being from lower-income families, and experiencing behavioral problems in school. They were (1) not well-adjusted to the school environment, (2) not aware of the importance of school, (3) anxious to learn about the contributions of black Americans, and (4) very critical of the black, male principal.

Interventions that may help include (1) early goal setting experiences, (2) a curriculum that reflects current societal changes designed to fit the local community, and (3) connecting the school process to the career goals of black males.