Communication strategies on dropout prevention as perceived by public school superintendents and public relations directors

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to identify dropout prevention, communication strategies that can be used by administrators to assist them in keeping students in school. These strategies were derived from the perceptions of superintendents and public relations directors regarding actual and ideal dropout prevention, communication strategies. A questionnaire was formulated through a review of the literature on communication strategies used in dropout prevention. The study sample consisted of 100 superintendents and 100 public relations directors, randomly selected from school districts whose public relations directors were listed as members of the National School Public Relations Association directory (NSPRA). Using a five-point Likert scale, respondents were asked to indicate not only whether a communication strategy was actually used in their school district, but also whether a communication strategy ought to be used in their school district. Several statistical relationships were identified by using the F ratio, P value, analysis of variance, T-tests, and Scheffe's test. Major conclusions, based on the findings, were the following: 1. Males dominated the position of superintendents as indicated by 97% of the sample and females dominated the position of public relations directors as indicated by 66% of the other sample. 2. Both superintendents and public relations directors believe that regularly scheduled meetings with parents can help to alleviate student dropout. 3. Both superintendents and public relations directors believe that their schools should be doing more than they are now to prevent students from dropping out. 4. Both superintendents and public relations directors do not agree with what their schools are doing now to develop at-risk programs that deal with proper nutrition. 5. Length of experience also had only a slight effect on the way superintendents and public relations directors perceived the selected dropout strategies.