Masashi Izumi

Doctoral Dissertation Announcement

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Candidate: Masashi Izumi

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Educational Leadership, Research and Technology

Title: Characteristics of Public Alternative High Schools Specifically for Students Placed At-Risk: A National Study Using the 2003-04 and 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey

Committee:
Dr. Jianping Shen, Chair
Dr. Sue Poppink
Dr. Jeffrey Jones

Date: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
3335 Sangren Hall

Abstract:
This study investigates determinants of the average daily attendance (ADA) and graduation rate of public alternative high schools specifically for students placed at-risk by analyzing the nationally representative data from the Schools and Staffing Survey 2007-08.  It presents three models via successive block entry, predicting the ADA and graduate rate by (a) student demographics, (b) staffing characteristics, and (c) school processes.  Through multiple regression analyses on ADA, the study finds (a) a positive relationship between career technical education and ADA; and (b) a negative relationship between teacher-student ratio and ADA.  The set of multiple regression analyses on the graduation rate shows (a) that staffing characteristics and school processes are important blocks of variables to predict the graduation rate; (b) that summer programs and Hispanic teacher ratio for all teachers are positively associated with the graduation rate, with having same teachers for two years or more being a marginally positive predictor; and (c) that having the traditional grade structure and providing day care are negatively correlated with the graduation rate.  Implications of the findings for policy and future research are discussed.