An Exploratory Analysis of Factors that Foster School Engagement and Completion among African American Students

The exploratory study discussed in this article assessed African American freshman and sophomore students' decisions to remain in school and their opinions about specific programs designed to increase academic engagement. Results indicated that students believed that school completion would prepare them for the future. The opinion of family members was ranked consistently as most important in supporting students' decisions to remain in school. The primary barriers to completing school were related to family issues, academic problems, and personal issues. Overall, students were most interested in intervention programs that prepared them for jobs and achieving their goals. The importance of tailoring education to meet the needs of African American students is emphasized.