Dropout study

Dropouts' interest in school may start waning early on
Students who drop out of school don't do so impulsively but instead may fall into a dropout trajectory as early as kindergarten. "Educators may be overlooking important developmental trajectories exhibited by students prior to entering high school," said Gregory Hickman, who directed the undergraduate research. "Dropouts miss an average of 124 days by eighth grade."
Hickman, G. (2008). The Differential Developmental Trajectories of High School Dropouts and Graduates. Journal of Education Research. [in press]