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THE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT EPIDEMIC: WHY STUDENTS DROPOUT & HOW TO PREVENT IT

HOW BAD IS IT?

Thousands of students in America are school dropouts. An estimated 1 in 8 children never graduate from high school. High school graduation rates have not changed significantly since 1980 (National Educational Goals Panel, 2002). One high school student drops out every 9 seconds. Dropout rates are irregularly high for students from Hispanic, African American, Native American, and low-income backgrounds. Students who live in single-parent homes and those who attend large urban school are also at risk of dropping out (National Center for Education Statistics, 2002).

WHAT CAUSES THEM TO DROPOUT?

ACADEMIC FAILURE:

  • High school students often drop out because they struggle academically and don’t think they’ll have the GPA or credits necessary to graduate. Some high school students don’t want to risk failing, which could mean summer school or another year of high school. Struggling in school on a daily basis is the biggest reason most students choose to drop out of high school.

LOSING INTEREST:

  • High school students often report that academic content isn’t interesting and they don’t have a personal connection with their teachers. High school dropouts may have other alternatives that seem more appealing, such as getting a job or starting a career. Students who aren’t interested in going to college may not see the value of a high school education.

PREGNANCY AND PARENTHOOD:

  • Teen pregnancy can pose concerns for students trying to complete high school academic requirements. Nearly one-third of teen girls who drop out of high school state early pregnancy and parenthood as keys reason for their decision (Stearns, 2006). Pregnant teens may feel embarrassed about going back to school, struggle with morning sickness or fatigue, and have difficulty keeping up with their classwork. Taking care of a baby is time-consuming, so many may not have the energy to complete high school.

LACK OF PARENTAL SUPPORT:

  • The lack of parental involvement is a problem that often leads to higher dropout rates. Parents play an important role when it comes to high school attendance. High school dropouts often have parents who weren’t engaged or concerned with their academic success. If a parent doesn’t encourage their child to stay in school, show interest in classes and teachers, communicate with administration, or pay attention to homework assignments, the child might not see any reason to follow through with the coursework. When parents don’t prioritize their child’s high school education, the child may choose to drop out.

FINANCIAL:

  • According to a study by the National Center of Education Statistics, students with low family incomes have the highest dropout rates at 9.4%. This is because many times these children need to get a job rather than going to school so they can help to support their families.

HOW TO PREVENT DROPOUTS:

The National Dropout prevention Center/Network has identified effective strategies that have the most positive impact in reducing school dropouts.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:

Research consistently finds that family engagement has a direct, positive effect on youth’s achievement and is one of the most accurate predictors of a student’s success in school. Critical elements of this type of collaboration rely on effective, ongoing, and multi-dimensional, two-way communication as well as ongoing needs assessments and responsive family supports and interventions.

Schools and school systems which are successfully involving families began by responding to the qualities, characteristics, and needs of the parents in order to overcome the barriers which interfere with communication. These barriers include parents’ level of literacy; language preferred for reading, listening, speaking, and writing; daily commitments and responsibilities that may affect the time, energy, and attention available to devote to school; and parents’ level of comfort in becoming involved in their children’s education.

SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS:

Safe, orderly, nurturing, inclusive, and inviting learning environments help students realize potential as individuals and as engaged members of society. All students need to be safe, physically and emotionally; to be expected to achieve; to be recognized and celebrated equitably for accomplishments; and to feel genuinely welcomed and supported. A safe and orderly learning environment provides both physical and emotional security as well as daily experiences, at all grade levels, that enhance positive social attitudes and effective interpersonal skills. A comprehensive discipline plan and violence prevention plan should include conflict resolution strategies and should deal with potential violence as well as crisis management. A safe, nurturing, and responsive learning environment supports all students, teachers, cultures, and subgroups; honors and supports diversity and social justice; treats students equitably; and recognizes the need for feedback, innovation, and second chances.

MENTORING:

Gears and Mentoring Mechanism

Mentoring is typically a one-to-one caring, supportive relationship between a mentor and a mentee that is based on trust. Mentoring offers a significant support structure for high-risk students. Tutoring, also typically a one-to- one activity, focuses on academic support and is an effective practice when addressing specific needs in collaboration with the student’s base teacher.

AFTER-SCHOOL/OUT-OF-SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES:

Many schools provide afterschool, before-school, and/or summer academic/enhancement/enrichment opportunities (e.g., tutoring, credit recovery, acceleration, homework support, etc.) that provide students with opportunities for assistance and recovery as well as high-interest options for discovery and learning. These opportunities often decrease information loss and can inspire interest in arenas otherwise inaccessible. Such experiences are especially important for at-risk students because out-of-school “gap time” is filled with constructive and engaging activities and/or needed academic support.

What Are After-School Opportunities?

The Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk (CRESPAR) has identified three types of after-school programs: day-care, after-school, and extended-school day programs.

  • Daycare Programs do not necessarily have an academic focus, but they do provide a safe environment for children of working parents. They tend to emphasize recreational and cultural activities.
  • After-School Programs offer academic and recreational activities.
  • School-Based Extended-Day Programs are based in the school and are usually directly tied to the curriculum. They are frequently academic, but often include cultural, recreational and enrichment activities.

IMPORTANCE OF COUNSELORS:

The need for school counselors to take a proactive role in meeting the varied needs of students with different at-risk dropout statuses is detrimental. Counselors should be knowledgeable about factors that contribute to students’ dropout behavior and generate prevention and intervention strategies to help as many students as possible to successfully complete their high school education. In order to achieve this goal, school counselors need to view themselves as advocates, consultants, and collaborators, as well as counselors (American School Counselor Association, 2003). This stresses the school counselor’s leadership role in helping all students achieve academic, career, personal and social development in school.  

CONCLUSION:

The dropout epidemic is an issue that can be improved gradually, given that students performance is systematically monitored to ensure students are provided with realistic opportunities for academic and reading success, students are supported as learners by educators and families, they encouraged to see the relevance of school and learning in their personal lives and future goals, and students are helped with personal problems across the school years. Increasing students’ engagement and enthusiasm for school requires much more than simply having them stay in school. This engagement entails supporting students to help them meet the defined academic standards of their schools, as well as the underlying social and behavioral standards. If students are engaged at school and with learning, they should not only graduate but also demonstrate academic and social competence at school completion. 

REFERENCES:

Christenson, S., & Thurlow, M. (2004). School Dropouts: Prevention Considerations, Interventions, and Challenges. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 13(1), 36-39.

Christle, C., Jolivette, K., & Nelson, C. (2007). School Characteristics Related to High School Dropout Rates. Remedial and Special Education, 28(6), 325-339.

Rumberger, Russell W. (1987). High School Dropouts: A Review of Issues and Evidence. Review of Educational Research, 57(2), 101-22.

Stearns, E., & Glennie, E. (2006). When and Why Dropouts Leave High School. Youth & Society, 38(1), 29-57.

Suh, Suhyun, Suh, Jingyo, & Houston, Irene. (2007). Predictors of Categorical At‐Risk High School Dropouts. Journal of Counseling & Development, 85(2), 196-203.