An examination of the characteristics and determinants of at-risk and non-at-risk students in a Texas independent school district

The issue within education reform of high dropout rates has been an enduring problem for education in the United States (U.S.) since the 1960s. Dropping out of high school is associated with a broad range of social pathologies in adulthood, including poor job prospects, the propensity to engage in criminal behavior, out-of-wedlock births, low socioeconomic status, and more. To address this concern, the State of Texas, beginning about a decade ago, mandated that public schools evaluate their students using specific criteria based on 12 "at-risk" factors that suggest students are in danger of dropping out. Using data from a large public Independent School District in Texas, this study examines these criteria in detail, analyzes the demographic characteristics associated with the various "at-risk" identifiers, such as gender, race, and special programs, and develops models that determine which identifiers are most common in identifying at-risk student populations. It is hoped that this study will prove useful to school administrators, as well as public leaders and educational policy makers, when developing plans for addressing dropout rates.