Perception of selected middle Tennessee G.E.D. students on high school dropouts
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the opinions of Middle Tennessee public schools G.E.D. students on high school dropouts. The design applied in this study was a descriptive research method utilizing a twenty-nine self-reporting questionnaire. The sample for the study was selected from five school systems in Middle Tennessee $(N = 281).$ A frequencies procedure was used on all items of the survey to examine descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics were derived by using non-parametric chi-square tests for independence. Hypothesis I. There will be no statistically significant differences in opinions of whites, blacks and other race distributions within study counties based upon marital status was soundly rejected. There were some strong differences. Hypothesis II. There will be no statistically significant differences of related opinions of Blacks based upon marital status. This hypothesis was rejected. Hypothesis III. There will be no statistically significant differences of related opinions of white females based upon marital status. This hypothesis was supported. Hypothesis IV. There will be no statistically significant difference in related opinions of males based upon marital status. This hypothesis was supported. There were no differences. Hypothesis V. There will be no statistically significant difference in Black/White female GED respondent distribution patterns over study counties. This hypothesis was soundly rejected beyond the.001 level. Hypothesis VI. There will be no statistically significant difference in distribution patterns over study counties among GED males, this hypothesis was rejected at.05 level. Hypothesis VII. There will be no statistically significant difference in the distribution of Black study GED respondents based on marital status, this hypothesis was supported. Hypothesis VIII. There will be no statistically significant difference in opinions of GED respondents based on marital status. The null was sustained. Hypothesis IX. There will be no statistically significant difference in study GED white students' marital status across counties. This hypothesis was sustained. Hypothesis X. There will be no difference in the distribution of male students by marital status in study counties. This hypothesis was sustained. Hypothesis XI. There will be no statistically significant difference in the distribution of female GED students by marital status within study counties was accepted, and Hypothesis XII. There will be no statistically significant differences between GED respondents' opinions based upon marital status within study counties. This hypothesis was sustained. Findings indicated that most GED respondents originally dropped out of school included: School was boring and unnecessary, failing grades, motherhood/fatherhood, and the immediate feeling of wanting and/or needing a job. Recommendations for successful change based on implications of this study include: Retention policies should be thoroughly evaluated toward possible change; Schools deal realistically with students' needs and/or their desire to work so that students can be selected to be involved in both classroom work plus experiential education; and Policy makers review all levels of in-school and out-of-school suspension policies.
Subject Area
School administration|Adult education|Continuing education
Recommended Citation
Daniel Ooko Orodo-Aluoch,
"Perception of selected middle Tennessee G.E.D. students on high school dropouts"
(1998).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI9907858.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI9907858