The What Works Clearinghouse offers a range of publications that evaluate school and community-based dropout prevention interventions and instructional strategies for middle and/or high schools. Reviewed interventions and strategies are designed to help students complete school and may include services and activities that reduce the impact of those factors which impede progress in school.

Following are specific dropout prevention programs that have been evaluated by the What Works Clearinghouse:

Career Academies Career Academies are school-within-school programs operating in high schools. They offer career-related curricula based on a career theme, academic coursework, and work experience through partnerships with local employers.

Check and Connect is a dropout prevention strategy that relies on close monitoring of school performance, as well as mentoring, case management, and other supports. The program has two main components: “Check” and “Connect.”

Financial incentives for teen parents are components of state welfare programs intended to encourage enrollment, attendance, and completion of high school as a means of increasing employment and earnings and reducing welfare dependence.

First things First is a reform model intended to transform elementary, middle, and high schools serving significant proportions of economically disadvantaged students.

High School Redirection is an alternative high school program for youth considered at risk of dropping out.

Job Corps, a federally funded education and job training program for economically disadvantaged youth, offers remedial education, GED (General Educational Development) preparation, vocational training, job placement assistance, and other supports.

JOBSTART is an alternative education and training program designed to improve the economic prospects of young, disadvantaged high school dropouts by increasing educational attainment and developing occupational skills.

Middle College High Schools are alternative high schools located on college campuses that aim to help at-risk students complete high school and encourage them to attend college.

New Chances, a program for young welfare mothers who have dropped out of school, aims to improve both their employment potential and their parenting skills.

Project Grad “Graduation Really Achieves Dreams” (GRAD) is an initiative for students in economically disadvantaged communities that aims to reduce dropping out and increase rates of college enrollment and graduation by increasing reading and math skills, improving behavior in school, and providing a service safety net.

Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP) is an intensive and comprehensive program for high school-aged youth that offers case management, mentoring, tutoring, and other education and support services.

Summer Training and Education Program (STEP) is a summer employment, academic remediation, and life skills program intended to lower school dropout rates by reducing summer learning loss and preventing teen parenthood.

Talent Development High Schools is a school reform model for restructuring large high schools with persistent attendance and discipline problems, poor student achievement, and high dropout rates.

Talent Search aims to help low-income and first-generation college students (those whose parents do not have four-year college degrees) complete high school and gain access to college through a combination of services designed to improve academic achievement and increase access to financial aid.

Twelve Together is a one-year peer support and mentoring program for middle and early high school students that offers weekly after-school discussion groups led by trained volunteer adult facilitators.

Additional dropout prevention programs have presented research to support their effectiveness. However, some did not meet the What Works Clearinghouse research protocol. Therefore, no reports were generated on these programs. For a full listing go to "All Programs" listing on the What Works Clearinghouse website.