It's Time To Eliminate High School Dropouts

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.

from high school?” This is one shocking statistic from Teach for America among many that show how poverty is related to education inequality. According to WKNO front line, “The average dropout can expect to earn an annual income of $20,241, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s a full $10,386 less than the typical high school graduate, and $36,424 less than someone with a bachelor’s degree.” So just looking at those numbers alone, it is obvious how poverty and education relate and it is obvious we need to do something to keep these kids in school and make sure they are getting the best education available to reduce their likelihood of being in poverty.

There are many negative effects caused by dropping out of high-school. Some of these effects include dropouts being more likely to become delinquents, more likely to have a lower income, and more likely to be leading an unhealthy life. According to the article Raise the Legal Dropout Age by the University of Toronto, "An average dropout earns less money, is more likely to spend time in jail, and is less healthy, less happy and less likely to be married than a high school graduate." These are some major effects that everyone should be aware of. Simply dropping out of school can change someone's whole life for the worse.

$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

Dropout factories are a serious problem with high schools. A dropout factory is a school with a high number of dropouts. Middle schools feed poorly educated kids into high school. These kids are not ready for high school, so they drop out. There are more then 60 percent of kids who do not make it from freshman to sophomore year. There are over 1000-documented drop out factories in the United States. In one school, there were 1,2000 freshmen, and the next year there were under 300 sophomores. Most of the kids have at these schools had a third grade reading level. In one case,

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."

Not all students who dropout do it because they want to; “for some students, dropping out becomes necessary when outside responsibilities interfere with a continued commitment to schooling” (Bradley 521). High school students can also drop out if the minimum wage is not increased because they will have to help support their families. If the minimum wage increases to 15 dollars, more students would be able to attend college, regales if their grades, because they would be able to afford it and not take as many loans. Students like these are faced with two choices: a better future for themselves or a future at all for their families. Minimum wage and high school graduation rates are linked together because many teens want the easy way out like Warren wrote, “higher minimum wage rates might most strongly influence high school completion rates when states impose more rigorous graduation

Every year the rate of college drop outs rise. Not because of bad grades or not personal life. It is because of school costing too much and students needing to get full time job to even make some type of payments, so the college won’t drop you from classes. The lack of funding

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 is proven that college graduates earn more money compared to college dropouts and below. According to the PBS frontline article called “By the Numbers: Dropping Out of High School”, the average dropout earns an annual income of $20,241, which is a full 10 thousand less compared to the typical high school graduate, and 36 thousand less than someone with a bachelor’s degree. Shockingly, dropouts between the ages of 18 and 24 are more than twice as likely as college graduates to live in poverty, they experience a poverty rate of 30.8 percent, compared to the bachelor’s degree poverty rate of 13.5 percent. Therefore this widens the wage gap if there is improper or demotivational schooling. There are multiple factors as to why students drop out are do to... high rates of absenteeism, low levels of school engagement, low parental education, work or family responsibilities, problematic or deviant behavior, moving to a new school in the ninth grade, and attending a school with lower achievement scores. The nation should take notice because poorly educated people can restrict the cites’ capacity to prosper and innovate. In a way, poor education leads to a poor lifestyle that can affect the

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

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.

Which has made it hard for these young drop out to find a stable job without a high school diploma. Some people don't really take this much in notice but it should be on of the many problems we should be really focused on. For example, I read this article by, David Levine which explains how a young girl named Beth decided to drop out of high school due to not wanting to wake up early anymore and thinking life would be better if she would just get a job. There are many things one doesn't notice when they make rad decision going back to Beth she didn't really think that finding a job would be hard but it was really hard for her to find a well paying job with such low education she had. Students need to realize that dropping is not an easy way out it's actually the hardest way out with such a young mindset all you think about is