Dropping Out Of School : A Silent Epidemic

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.

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

$10,510, that’s how much less a high school dropout earns annually than an individual with a high school diploma according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A dropout is less likely to be employed, more likely to be incarcerated and more likely to live in poverty. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, due to incarceration, less paid in taxes and other factors a high school dropout costs taxpayers $292,000 over their lifetime. The financial costs alone should be enough to find ways to increase graduation rates. Research has shown early predictors of dropout are parental education level and early low literacy in the child. Families from one generation to another have a difficult time escaping poverty and families from one generation to another have difficulty improving literacy

The college dropout rate has risen since the late 1960's from one in five students, to one in three according to David Leonhardt, in "The College Dropout Boom" (88). I am a college dropout, as a freshman, I entered Florida Atlantic University, with great aspiration to be first person in my family to graduate college, but after one year of as full time student, working two jobs to pay rent, utilities and hoping that whatever was left over from my meager paycheck, would cover my mounting college debt. I decided not to return

From 1972 to 2006 high school dropout rates decreased from 6.1 percent to 3.8 percent. A majority of this decline occurred between 1972 and 1990, when the rate dropped to 4 percent. However, from 1990 to 1995 there was a surprising increase in dropout rates (Laird & others, 2008). Since then there have been numerous debates and discussions on the issue of dropout rates and how to handle them appropriately. From the information above, it is very evident that the United States wasn’t directly involved with the matter. As a result, stated before, President Barack Obama made his claim towards this issue. This urged most states across the nation to raise the dropout age (Ho, 2017). In fact, a study co-authored by Alan Krueger, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, found that in some states approximately 25 percent of potential dropouts stayed in school since the compulsory schooling age was moved to 18. With an additional year of schooling that 25 percent will increase their earnings by at least 7 percent when

Year after year, the college graduation rate of African Americans has risen and fallen; however, most of these students that begin college have every intention of graduating. It is very unfortunate how high the percent of first year college dropouts is because many people think that African American students just sit there and don’t learn anything at all but, in fact, they do try very hard and sometimes put in more effort than their white peers. Due to the mentality that most people have, some of them think that the only reason African American students drop out of college is because their grades, but this is far from true since most students drop out due to causes such as financial pressure and health problems, along with mental, emotional,

The American Psychological Association says, “Poverty and dropouts are inextricably connected in the three primary settings affecting healthy child and adolescent development: families, schools and communities. In 2009, poor (bottom 20 percent of all family incomes) students were five times more likely to dropout of high school than high-income (top 20 percent of all family incomes) students. Child poverty is rampant in the U.S., with more than 20 percent of school-age children living in poor families.” It’s important that students stay in school and get what they need to graduate, so they can find a real working job to help boost them on their feet to get out of living in poverty. Another reason why it’s a problem that most people living in poverty have a higher rate of dropping out because low income students are six times more likely to dropout of high school. The Washington Post talked about how when teenagers drop out of high school because they need to earn money, they earn about a quarter of all of their family savings which puts them just above the line of who are in poverty, and who are not. Of all who drop out to work, 42% of families get about a quarter or more of their yearly income from their child. It’s important that students don’t drop out of high school because they could end up getting a higher education from graduating, which means they could get a better job with a higher

It 's the rock bottom of a student 's educational career: The day a student drops out of high school. From there, the world may seem to go down in a spiral. Today, 16% of dropouts are unemployed and 32% live below the poverty line. Dropouts with jobs earn an average of only $12.75 per hour (Messacar 55). Students who do graduate from high school have an unemployment rate of only 7.6% (Bureau of Labor Statistics). While the graduation rate may be improving, there are still some out there who find it hard to adjust to the high school atmosphere after leaving their cozy little middle school. Sometimes, middle school poorly prepares their

In the documentary Guggenheim says that “In America right now, a kid drops out of high school every 26 seconds. These drop-outs are eight times more likely to go to prison, 50% less likely to vote, more likely to need social welfare assistance, not eligible for 90% of jobs, are being paid 40 cents to the dollar of earned by a college graduate, and continuing the cycle of poverty” (Waiting for "Superman"). This means in 10 minutes about 20 students drop out of high school. With this statistic Guggenheim easily is able to show the seriousness of this issue. After dropping out of high school, a student pretty much suffers their entire life.

But what kids don’t know is that if they drop out they get paid less than people with high school diploma. Many people want to come back to school. According to Sparks “We found about 17 percent of the students who had come back dropped out again within the year” (2). This 0

The dropout problem is not only an individual problem, but it is costly to society as a whole. Warren & Halpen-Manners (2007) explained, “high school dropouts is of fundamental social, economic, and political importance and has major implications for educational policy and practice, patterns of economic and racial/ethnic inequality, and the quality of America’s workforce” (p. 335). Coupled with that, Neild et al (2008) further argued going through the portal into adult life without high school credentials carries severe economic and employment penalties. Also, Kennelly (2007) explained “When students drop out…. the toll of the quality of life and the prosperity and competitiveness of the communities where they live and collectively across

In recent times, there has been significant rise in high school dropout rates in United States of America. This issue has significant attention of academics and researchers and is known as "silent epidemic" as more and more American teenagers are dropping out from schools before graduation (Bridgeland, DeIulio& Morison, 200). Reports suggest that the high school dropout rates before graduation in minorities has reached 50 percent since last decade(Bridgeland, DeIulio& Morison, 202, Ferris & West, 69). The issue of dropout rates had been ignored for years and thus, in recent times, the graduation rate has decreased significantly at such an level that is has threaten the wellbeing and welfare of American society. The goal of this paper is to analyze the causes of high rates of high school dropouts in the lights of broad and diverse academic resources.

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

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.