High School Dropouts: Finishing School or Not? Essay

Perhaps no single event in the adolescent life course more strongly determines later social and economic success than dropping out of school (Ludwig & Shah, 2014). Risk factors for dropping out of school exist in all life domains with the likelihood of a student dropping out of school increasing as these risk factors accumulate (Christle, Jolivette, & Nelson, 2007). However, most of the research on at risk students and dropping out has focused on the characteristics of individuals rather than on the services available at schools or the local community (Christle, Jolivette, & Nelson,

The current situation of high school students dropping out has been steadily declining since the early 1990’s. This could serve society very well if that trend continues to a point where dropping out of high school become relatively unheard of. A social dysfunction of high school is that it creates a class system between those with a high school diploma and those without one. The manifest function of high school is to provide people with the skills and critical thinking ability to obtain some type base level skilled work as well as provides a way to help keep kids safe and out of trouble. In contrast, a high school dropout would have none of those functions and would likely not be employed in skilled work and as a result might have to turn to criminal activities for an income.

Students who dropout of high school before the age of 18 put their well-being at risk later on in life. According to BMC Public Health’s study focusing on over 3146 dropout students ranging in age from 20-29, “Poor mental health was present in 24% of the participants.” This emphasizes the fact that if teenagers drop out of high school they hurt their health because they go into a depressive state easier than their classmates who graduate. As a result of the depression, they go unemployed. This continues into a lack of anything to do and stress of unpayable bills. Finally, the data suggests that students should not be allowed to dropout without a diploma because when these students go into an unhealthy mental state, they can lose connection with their family or lead to worse situations making it even worse. Also in the radio interview, Missy Remiss, an education

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

“Dropping out of school does not seem to happen overnight; it comes after a long term process of frustration and failure” (Balfanz par 2). According to the National Center for Education Statistics, The population studied students attending Baltimore schools and gathered research that indicates how low test scores and report card grades as early as the 1st grade are reliable sources of whether students would later drop out(Alexander, Entwisle and Kabbani par.6). Also having to go through grade retention as early as kindergarten is also connected to why the dropout rate has reached a dynamic level (Kaufman and Bradby par.6). Whoever decides to drops out has no type of support, encouragement, or ambition starting at such a young age.

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

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

High school dropouts are not only facing a miserable situation in the rest of lives but also

Today, many people decide to attempt to further their education by attending community college, but quickly they realize it is either to hard or it is the wrong path. Many first time students face extreme difficulty getting caught up to a college level of English and math; therefore, they dropout and go back into the work force. Many first year students hold multiple jobs to support their own living expenses while trying to get educated, but when things get hard, many sacrifice their education. Every college dropout has their own reason for quitting school, wither its finances, planning, or a lack of motivation.

    In the United States, there are a great amount of people who never got their high school diploma; a great percentage of these dropouts ended up living in poverty. According to Carmen DeNavas-Walt ,an employee in The United States Census Bureau, “In 2015, 26.3 percent (6.2 million) of people aged 25 and older without a high school diploma were in poverty” (DeNavas-Walt,2016). According to proffesor Rusell W. Rumberger, people who never completed their

In North Carolina, from 2013-2014 to 2014-2015 there was a 6.6 percent increase in crime rates within schools for high schools, also during this time there was a 4.8 percent increase in dropouts (Hinchcliffe, 2016). For the school year of 2014-2015 the dropout rate was 2.39 percent, which was a increase compared to the previous year that had a rate of 2.28 percent (The Progressive Pulse, 2016). High school dropouts are known to face issues in their future in regards to their socioeconomic status, job attainment, and other risk factors that may influence their lives in the long-term. It has been found that high school dropouts earn an estimated $9,000 less per year on average compared to individuals that graduate. They are also more likely to live in poverty, it was also found that dropouts are three times more likely to be unemployed compared to graduates which puts them at a further disadvantage (Burrus & Roberts, 2012). The consequences of dropping out not only affects the individuals but also our society, due to its contributions to governmental costs; in 2001 there were 40% of high school dropouts (16-24 years old) receiving government assistance (Burrus & Roberts, 2012).. This portrays how high school dropouts leads to further problems and affect others.

Many policy makers in the United States have becomes especially concerned about the alarming rate of persistently high school student’s dropout rates. But, improving high school dropout and graduation levels continues to be a strong educational challenge in the United States. Because, every year almost half a million students drop out of school (U.S. Census Bureau 2007). More importantly as Rumberger claimed that “an even greater number about one-third of all students who enter high school in the ninth grade fail to graduate fours later “(as cited in Robert &Russell 109). Graduation rates among underrepresented minority students in particular Latinos and African American are even lower (Alliance for Excellent Education 2007). And as Kelly

In a rural area just outside of Chicago, 150 students marched at the graduation ceremony. That is a far cry from the 300 students that enrolled as freshman just four years ago. This is not an inner city school, but it is a reminder that there is a crisis in our nation. The high school dropout problem is everywhere. Speakers at graduation ceremonies talk about the aspirations and big dreams of the graduating class. No one ever mentions or notices the bleak futures of their peers who chose to dropout before receiving their diplomas. The reasons for dropping out vary by race, sex and community. Teenagers live in the present moment, never looking too far ahead to realize what the consequences could be if they left high

Another reason why a lot of students drop out of school is simply because they don't like it. High school, through its control over many decisions that are made for students, still seems to be restrictive. Many aspects of a student's life are pre-set and cannot be changed by the student to fit his needs. For example, a student's time schedule is set every year. Every student must go the same amount of hours every year. In most cases, school is from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every day, whether he or she actually needs all the time or not. Students have to spend more time in some filler classes that they think they probably did not need to take but still had

Another personal related problem is jobs. Most students are working part-time in order to support themselves and their family which at times will lead to intrusion with school hours, home works, no time for studying especially to major exams and various school activities which otherwise leads to failing grade. Peer pressure is also another factor wherein these students are being led to bad influences such as drinking, drug which causes a major side effect to students (Schwartz, 1995). Schools do this in order to handle their problem. Students from broken homes are also likely to drop out of school due to the stressful situation that they have to go through and thus affect their concentration in school. Furthermore, most students who dropped out of school don't like school to begin with. These students will rebel and do anything against the school rules in order to be kicked out (Schwartz, 1995). They are likely to fail on their subjects, doesn't get along with other students, and have disciplinary problems. Oftentimes, disciplinary actions are taken before they are dropped out.