A Study of Prevention and Retention Strategies for Successful Urban Secondary High School Hispanic Students

Hispanic high school students have a dropout rate that ranges from 35 percent to 55 percent depending on what type of report you may be referencing. Add rates for all high school students. Hispanic youth endure the challenges of language barriers, single parent households, working to help their family, or fighting off gang involvement in their communities to graduate from high school.

The purpose of this case study is to address the urban Hispanic dropout problem through an examination of strategies perceived as successful by Hispanic graduates. In order to narrow the scope, the researcher focused on the strategies suggested by the National Dropout Prevention Center. The researcher posed two questions: 1.) To what extent did students perceive that these fifteen identified strategies influenced their decision to remain in school and graduate? and 2.) What other positive influences beyond the identified strategies were credited by at-risk students and staff as contributing factors to their graduation? The study examined eight former Hispanic high school students who successfully completed high school and four of their teachers. The strategies that this study group perceived as most effective are discussed and policy implications are described.

The findings stated students did not find a single path that lead to graduation, although the three highest ranked strategies were community collaboration, alternative schooling, and active learning. The conclusions one can make is that family involvement and school partnerships are very important to the outcome of Hispanic high school students? graduation success.