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Factors That Influence Students’ Decisions To Either Drop Out Or Graduate From High Schools In A Western Kentucky School District, Donna Kay Crouch

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify and examine trends in the themes and patterns revealed in the qualitative analysis of the focus group interviews. Data were derived from responses from 21 graduates and six dropouts who answered questions from interview guides. Findings from the analysis indicate both graduates and dropouts experienced similar barriers throughout their academic career. The barriers identified were institutional, situational, and dispositional. Six themes were identified from the three barriers. They included employment, educational/remediation services, attendance, discipline and/or legal issues; educational values, and student-educator relationships. According to the data, these themes were not mutually exclusive …