Getting Schooled
Why it’s crucial to graduate—
not just because Mom said so.
by Elena Rocha
TWEENS
& TEENS News May 2007
Across America, almost one out of every
three students drops out of high school; that’s
30 percent of students nationwide. Who are
these dropouts— troubled kids, kids
failing school or kids who lack motivation?
Not always. In fact, most high school dropouts
understand the importance of graduating.
Why do kids quit high school? Researchers,
and dropouts themselves, report that there
are multiple reasons why kids leave school,
including classroom boredom, a lack of connection
to the real world, previous absences that
make it feel too difficult to keep up with
assignments and various types of pressures.
No matter what the reason, kids must understand
that dropping out of school is not an overnight
decision— it’s a process. Students
who drop out actually distance themselves
from school over a period of time.
There are four basic reasons why you should
care about graduating from high school. First,
your personal stability depends on it. Second,
your community depends on it. Third, the economic
competitiveness of our country depends on
it. And fourth, the American dream depends
on it. As a tween or teen, you may not be
thinking about your economic or long-term
stability, but here are some things you need
to consider:
Personal Stability
The purpose of high school is to teach young
people the skills and knowledge they need
for success in life and at work. Students
who don’t make it through high school
are less prepared than those who graduate.
They have a harder time finding a job, earn
less money, are less likely to be promoted
at work and are less likely to have health
insurance.
Community
The strength of our communities depends on
your active participation, in school and beyond.
Society relies on young adults to be productive
members of society and perform their civic
duties, like voting. High school dropouts,
however, are less likely to vote and are more
likely to commit crimes, need public services
and become incarcerated.
National Competitiveness
Students in other countries currently perform
better than Americans on international tests.
This creates competition for all types of
jobs because employers seek to hire the young
adults who are the most prepared.
Employers want employees with “21st
century skills,” such as the ability
to work in teams, adapt to change, think critically,
problem solve, communicate well verbally and
communicate well in writing. Employers also
look for employees with a solid understanding
of reading, math, science, history, geography,
foreign language, government affairs and the
arts.
American Dream
Many of the new jobs that are being created
today— and will be available in the
future— require at least some education
or training beyond high school. Graduating
from high school is just the first step to
securing lifelong success.
What are Government and Community
Leaders Doing?
Our state and federal government leaders are
doing many things to draw more attention to
the graduation issue. They are increasing
public awareness, forming partnerships with
concerned organizations and businesses, and
passing laws to improve high school education
in order to decrease the dropout rate and
increase the graduation rate.
One important step officials are taking is
supporting improvements to the way dropout
and graduation statistics are collected. In
turn, officials are making this data more
available to the public. In addition, many
of our governors have made a commitment to
use the same system to count the number of
students graduating from high school on time
(in four years). This will provide government
leaders, parents and the general public with
the most accurate information on dropout and
graduation rates from state to state.
The states are also identifying schools with
the largest dropout rates and developing programs
to better support students in those schools.
Many state initiatives pay particular attention
to schools in low-income, urban and rural
districts that may have unique needs. Government
leaders often work with communities to explore
interventions that identify students who may
dropout of school. Leaders and schools then
unite to do their best to ensure such students
stay on course to graduate.
Leaders also reach out to young adults who
have already dropped out to help them earn
a high school diploma.
What Kind of Interventions Exist?
The best interventions address the specific
needs of students who are at risk of dropping
out. These students may be failing classes,
repeating a grade or missing a lot of school—
or they may be bored, seem confused in large
classes, lack parental engagement in their
learning or feel an economic responsibility
to work. For young adults who have already
dropped out, the best interventions make it
as easy as possible to attend classes and
earn credit toward a high school diploma.
Many of these adults work and need to keep
their jobs while returning to school.
Organizations that help dropouts or kids at
risk of dropping out to earn a diploma often
look different than today’s high schools.
For instance, many such programs have smaller
classes and more personalized school environments.
This helps potential dropouts and returning
students to get more one-on-one attention
in the subjects that are difficult for them.
Some programs help students earn a high school
diploma and a paycheck at the same time. These
programs offer apprenticeships to students
to work at a job that teaches some skills
they will need after high school.
Other programs help kids graduate in three
years, instead of the traditional four years.
And some schools even help kids earn a high
school diploma and an associate’s degree
simultaneously from a community college.
What Else Should You Know?
Every high school graduate counts. Staying
in school and earning a diploma is extremely
important, and is not a decision you should
take lightly.
For young adults who have already dropped
out, it’s never too late to get back
on track. In fact, many former students work
to earn a high school diploma later on in
life because they understand it is critical
to their future. Many even continue their
education and go on to earn a college degree.
Elena Rocha is an education policy analyst
at the Center for American Progress. She holds
a master’s degree in public service
and administration from Texas A&M University.
Rocha can be reached at erocha@americanprogress.org.
For more information on the Center, visit
www.americanprogress.org.
