Why do kids drop out of school?
A new report, “Late High School Dropouts: Characteristics, Experiences, and Changes Across Cohorts,” published by the National Center for Education Statistics answers, “it’s the school!”
According to the report,
? Most dropouts (83 percent) listed a school related (versus a family- or employment-related) reason for leaving. These reasons included missing too many school days, thinking it would be easier to get a GED, getting poor grades, and not liking school.
? Seventy-three percent of dropouts said their parents tried to talk them into staying, while 37 percent of them said their school tried to talk them into staying.
? Fifty-three percent of dropouts said that their parents offered to help them with personal problems, and 24 percent said that schools had made such an offer.
? Most of the dropouts (75 percent) never participated in any alternative program (such as dropout prevention, job placement assistance, or special vocational or technical skills training).
Here is a summary:
1. Most kids drop out because of the school, not because of family difficulties or need to seek employment. School-based initiatives, not social welfare programs, are the way to curb drop outs.
2. Most parents try to keep kids in school, but most schools want the kids gone and do little to keep them there.
3. Few dropouts have had access to alternative programs, including career and technical education.
