The high school failures : $b a study of the school records of pupils failing in academic or commercial high school subjectsO'Brien, F. P.
History
The high school failures : $b a study of the school records of pupils failing in academic or commercial high school subjects
O'Brien, F. P.
Academic achievement; High school dropouts; Thesis (Ph. D.); Underachievers
Apparently the full story has by no means been told when we simply say
that there is a general decline in the percentages of failure by years
or semesters. First, the failures of the drop-outs should be included,
so far as it is at all feasible; second, the percentage should be based
on the total enrollment in the subject, not on the final product, if we
wish to disclose the real situation; third, the continuous or required
subjects should be distinguished in order to give a full statement of
the facts. On page 41 are presented the percentages of failure for the
1,125 failing graduates alone, as found in this study, the greater
portion of whose work, as it actually happened, consisted of 3- and
4-year subjects continuous from the time of entrance, and for whom the
percentages of failure increase to the ninth semester.
7. SIMILARITY OF FACTS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
Nowhere is there any definite indication that any of these factors of
prognosis operates more distinctly or more pronouncedly on either boys
or girls. Some variations do occur, but differences between the sexes
in personal attitudes, social interests, or conventional standards may
account for slight differences such as have been already noted. To
simplify the statement of facts, no comparison of facts for boys and
girls has, in general, been attempted where there was only similarity
to be shown.
A SUMMARY OF CHAPTER III
The influence of non-attendance as a factor in school failure is partly
provided for here, but no statistical data were secured.
The percentage of physical and mental defects are doubtless
comparatively small for high school pupils except in the case of
vision.
The facts regarding size of classes were unobtainable.
The pupils are distributed by their ages of entrance from 12 to 20,
with the mode of the distribution at 15. The younger entering pupils
are distinctly more successful in escaping failure. They are also
strikingly more successful in their ability to graduate.
The older pupils who fail have a higher percentage of failure on the
subjects taken.
The first year's record has real prognostic value for pupils persisting
more than three semesters. But 57 per cent of those leaving earlier
have no failures. This includes nearly 60 per cent of all the
non-failing pupils, but less than 32 per cent of the failing ones have
gone that early.
Prediction of failure by subjects is relatively easy and sure, and the
later years seem more productive of this result.
The percentage of failure on the total possibility of failure increases
with the time period up to the seventh semester. The same facts are
true for the graduates when considered alone. Fifty-six per cent of the
failures for the graduates occur after the second year. The longer stay
in school actually begets an increase of failures. The boys and girls
are similarly affected by these factors of prognosis.
REFERENCES:
14. Keyes, C.H. _Progress Through the Grades_, pp. 23, 62.
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