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Author: Okou, Jane E.
Resulting in 1 citation.
1. Okou, Jane E.
Academic and Transitional Experiences of High School At-Risk Youth
Ph. D. Dissertation, Pennsylvania State University, 2004.
Also: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=775163681&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=3959&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Cohort(s): NLSY97
Publisher: UMI - University Microfilms, Bell and Howell Information and Learning
Keyword(s): Ethnic Groups/Ethnicity; High School Completion/Graduates; Racial Differences; School Progress; Transition, School to Work; Vocational Education

This study investigated academic and transitional experiences of at-risk youth with a purpose to establish whether these experiences vary among them by race, race and gender, and race and residence. Of particular interest was whether the experiences of at risk white males differ from those of other at-risk youth.

Five specific experiences were examined, namely: program of study, high school graduation, dropout, transition to postsecondary, and transition to employment. The main research question that guided the study was: Among at-risk youth, do the academic and transitional experiences vary by race, race and gender, and race and residence?

Data for the study were drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97). A sub-sample of 837 participants was used. At-risk youth were defined as those from families living below poverty level in the United States and who are at risk of experiencing academic and transitional difficulties as a result of their poor economic backgrounds. Descriptive and multivariate statistics were used to analyze the data. Frequency counts, percentages and Chi-square tests were used in the descriptive analysis and logistic regression and survival analysis were used in the multivariate analyses. Findings revealed that among at-risk youth there are no variations in high school graduation, dropout, and transition to postsecondary education. In general, at-risk white males are as likely as all other at-risk youth to experience the negative effects of poverty when faced with equal levels of economic hardships. Their patterns of enrollment in programs vary slightly, but overall all at-risk youth are more likely to follow a general curriculum. The one major exception is that blacks in rural America are significantly less likely to be employed than their white counterparts even when poverty levels are controlled.

Bibliography Citation
Okou, Jane E. Academic and Transitional Experiences of High School At-Risk Youth. Ph. D. Dissertation, Pennsylvania State University, 2004..