Credit Recovery Essay

In today’s society it has become even more crucial to obtain knowledge and graduate from high school. In the article “The True Cost of High School Dropouts” Henry M. Levin and Cecilia E. Rouse explain that the dropout rate imposes a heavy cost on the economy. Henry M. Levin is a professor of economics and education at Columbia University. Cecilia E. Rouse is a professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton University. She also was a member of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers from 2009 to 2011. This article was found on “The New York Times” and was published Jan. 25th, 2012. They begin with stating the facts and giving sources to build credibility. They then go into what is being done wrong and what needs to be done in order to improve.

In a society which is relying increasingly on education, graduating high school is quickly becoming an important accolade to ensure a student’s success in society. According to a study completed in July of 2011, high school dropouts cost between $320 billion and $350 billion annually in lost wages, taxable income, health, welfare and incarceration costs. (Zhao, 2011) As well as the financial impact, there are many other aspects that should be addressed when looking at high school dropout rates. The most prevalent example is the fact that systematically, the education system has shown significant signs of unbalance in the distribution of dropout rates across different races and or ethnicities. In 2009, 4.8 percent of of blacks and 5.8 percent of Hispanics between 15 and 24 dropped out of grades 10-12, compared with 2.4 percent for white students. (Zhao, 2011) With statistics like this, it is important that we not only ensure our education system is operating in a successful way, but also providing equal education and opportunities for students of all races, ethnicities, income levels, and religious backgrounds. By examining our education system, we as educators will be able to address and hopefully resolve the issues related to the unequal dropout rates in high schools across the nation.

Obtaining an education is essential in today’s society. Most students who attend school on a regular basis usually succeed in life. On the other hand, many students fail to attend school every day which can lead to problems in schools. However, some students have acceptable reasons for dropping out. As a result, a student’s punctuality can ultimately alter his or her education. On that note, dropping out of high school can affect an individual in many ways throughout the years. Schools are facing challenges dealing with high dropout rates, high rates of truancy, and low graduation rates because students are failing to attend school.

Higher education in America is facing many challenges, i.e., low retention, low graduation rates and less funding. Postsecondary institutions are scrambling to remain a competitive entity within society. In order to do so, students must remain in school (Talbert, 2012). The Office of the White House states (2014), educational attainment is critical to our county’s economic success. In essence, the work force is creating more jobs requiring more education and a higher level of skill than was previously achieved. Individuals with only a high school diploma will not make into the middle class sector because of

In October 2000, the overall picture of high school dropouts had changed little since the late 1980s (Kaufman et al. 2001): For every 100 young adults enrolled in high school in October 1999, 5 had left school without completing a program; of 34.6 million U.S. young adults aged 16-24, 3.8 million—almost 11 percent—had not completed high school and were not enrolled. Some studies have shown that students in schools with a concentration of multiple risk factors (e.g., large schools, large classes, high poverty, inner city location) have less than one chance in two of graduating from high school; furthermore, the economic costs of dropping out have increased as time goes on (Castellano et al. 2001). Adjusting for 50

Earning a diploma, a degree or even a trade can significantly affect one's future financial status. An education-or lack thereof- can mean the difference between being poverty stricken or financially stable. College graduates earn an average of 66 percent more than non graduates and often enjoy additional benefits, including greater job opportunities and promotions.(Source: study.org) However,  according to spotlightonpoverty.org, 69 percent of students graduate from college on time, yet many graduate without the skills needed for college or work. Without an education chances of obtaining a decent paying job is slim, which can result in a life of impoverishment. "Policymakers and education leaders must implement strategies to reduce the high school dropout rate and adequately prepare high school students for college, while providing low income students with the support they need to attain a degree or credential."

Since this study is strictly quantitative, it faces the limitations of not being suited to answer how and why questions. The data analyzed may not be robust enough to explain complex issues, and makes it difficult to understand the context of a phenomenon (Mills and Gay, 2016). The data in this study indicate the number of opportunities at a given school, but gives little information of the quality about these opportunities. For example, multiple schools may offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses, but the quality of the instruction and implementation of these courses could vary significantly across schools. Additionally, the data do not take into account local school policies and practices that differ between cities, districts, and schools. Moreover, accessing secondary data may be difficult – although the data are readily available online on the school level, it may not be possible to gather all the data into one comprehensive file. Also, since the datasets vary in the types of schools included (e.g. some datasets may exclude some charter schools), the process of merging the files may not result in a one hundred

Characteristics: Low socio-economic status, from a single parent family, an older sibling dropped out of school, the student had changed schools two or more times, Had average grades of “C” or lower from sixth to eighth grade (National Center for Education Statistics,1992). Online learning within K-12 education is increasing access and equity by making high quality courses and highly qualified teachers available to students. Online learning programs offer courses, academic credits and support toward a diploma. They vary in structure, and may be managed by a state, district, university, charter school, not-for-profit, for-profit, or other institution. Thirty states and more than half of the school districts in the United States offer online courses and services, and online learning is growing rapidly, at 30% annually. This growth is meeting demand among students, as more than 40% of high school and middle school students have expressed interest in taking an online course. The most well-established K-12 online learning programs are more than ten years old, and many programs have between five and ten years of operating experience. The newest programs are building on the expertise of those early adopters, as well as the experience of online learning in postsecondary institutions and the corporate world.

In addition, high school dropouts have caused many hardships that negatively affect the American economy. Individuals, who have not received high school credentials, live such experiences as poverty, unemployment, teenage parenthood, and criminal activity (Esch, 2003). For example, without the minimum of a high school diploma, individuals are susceptible to a cycle of poverty (AYPF, 2006). Esch (2003) explained that in any given year, the likelihood of slipping into poverty is about three times higher for high school dropouts than for those who finish high school. He mentioned that high school dropouts lack many skills to be hired for decent jobs; therefore, students are more susceptible to be dependent on the public assistance. Researchers revealed that if one third of high school dropouts were to remain in school and earn a diploma, the federal government would save almost 11 billion annually from reducing funds needed for food stamps, housing

America’s graduation rate has increased from 72% to 75.5% since 2001, that’s only a 3.5% change in 15 years. Our nation's graduation rate has dropped from first to eighteenth in 30 years and ⅓ of all students drop out of high school. So, why is this such a big deal to people who have graduated themselves and are already in the work force? First, students who drop out of high school get paid a substantial amount less than employees who have diplomas. Second, dropouts cost paying taxpayers over $8 billion per year. Lastly, students who fail to earn their high school diploma are more likely to become criminals.

● Credit Recovery options allow students who have completed seat time and calendar requirements to earn credit based on competency of the content standards.

Did you know that 1.2 million high school students drop out of school every year just in the United States alone (11 Facts)? The decrease of high school graduation rates is a fairly important issue, and there are plenty of reasons to propose a change. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the current standard dropout rate of high school students is 7.4%. High school dropouts encounter way more difficulties and challenges than a high school graduate would. An average high school drop out lacks the basic education that one needs in order to be successful in life. They are more likely to face problems dealing with financial insecurity, communication skills, and of course, educational matters. With a high school diploma, one is more likely to get hired for a job, earn a higher income, and educate oneself even further. Some possible causes of high school students dropping out include stress, boredom, family problems, pregnancies, and drugs. With that said, with every issue, there is always a solution. By taking the problem at hand and looking at it from a broad perspective, we can thoroughly identify the source of the high dropout rates of U.S. high school students. There are countless factors that may be the cause of this epidemic, but a few ideas including making learning more relevant, limiting the workload given to students, and providing mandatory classes on drugs and safe sex may possibly be a solution to this

The issue of high school dropouts is a serious concern for educators, policymakers, and the public. High school dropouts experience numerous adverse consequences in response to an incomplete education. For instance, high school dropouts are more likely to lack the skills necessary for successful employment and further education, to be unemployed, to be welfare recipients, and when employed, to make less money, lack health insurance, suffer health problems, and to be involved in crime on average than their peers who did complete (Belfield & Levin, 2007; Rumberger, 2011; Swanson & Editorial Projects in Education, 2009). High school dropouts are also more likely to suffer from depression or other mental health issues (Rumberger, 2011; Swanson & Editorial Projects in Education, 2009). Additionally, dropouts present numerous challenges at a societal level, including a serious socioeconomic problem, given that most are undereducated and ill-equipped to meet the rapidly advancing technological needs of society’s workforce. (Zablocki, & Krezmien, 2012).

College graduation and dropout rates have long been used as a central indicator of education system productivity and effectiveness and of social and economic well-being. Today, interest in the accuracy and usefulness of these statistics is particularly acute owing to a confluence of circumstances, including changing demographics, new legislative mandates, and heightened political pressures to reduce the incidence of dropping out. Students who are unable to pass the assessments may simply leave school before graduating. Not everyone drops out because they lack the determination to finish, instead they run into another obstacle while equipped with the motivation. Those of which are trying to regulate the balance of work and school, unexpected family problems, and financial problems.

There is a lot of focus on schools these days by local, state, and federal government. With all these eyes focusing on schools there is a lot of pressure as well as curriculum state standards set in place to be met. At the same time it almost makes it impossible for educators as well as students to breathe; they have to jump over numerous hurdles with expectations that are sometimes impossible to meet. One of the challenges high schools are having to address is the “EOC (End of Course) exam”, stated by (Mizell, 2014) that more and more students are failing to pass, this exam is what decides if a high school student graduates or not. These state standards and regulations, that schools are required to meet, makes for a long and grim discussion. Schools are identifying more and more at-risk students due to the students not passing the EOC exams and the schools themselves are becoming high risk with no reward for faculty or students. It is my desire and hope to improve and greatly impact the educational community by focusing on the statistics involving these identified at-risk students. “At-risk students”, are students who fall through the cracks due to various reasons, such as, learning difficulties, being second language learners, drug and alcohol concerns, and poverty concerns in their homes. (Chapter 6: search for opportunity) The focus of my work will be to facilitate the prevention of high school dropouts and provide support that will be readily available to all students.