Why Children Drop Out Of High School In The United States

Why Children Drop Out Of High School In The United States

Introduction

In modern times school dropout has become a significant community crisis. Research shows that 25-60% of the ninth graders in America drop out of school before graduation. The high school dropout high rates have become a growing concern. Some urban schools get criticized since they graduate less than 50% of the students. Over a few decades, school dropout has been on the rise. The more significant number of dropouts is composed of students of color. Many reasons lead to school dropout, and some include students’ claims that the lessons were not interesting, poor performance, complex rules in schools, family related problems, and influence from fellow students (Burrus 4). The drop out does affect not only the individual but also the student’s family, community, and the government at large. However, some strategies can be put in place to reduce the number of dropouts, such as providing instructions to struggling students, building a friendly environment that fosters academics. Therefore, the need to analyze the causes of dropouts, the most endangered group before graduation, and what can be done to prevent school dropouts.

Causes of School Drop outs

            The ninth grade is a significant life-changing stage for students. However, some students find the scene discouraging and frustrating, which leads to emotional changes, and hence the students change their behaving and develop learning problems. The significant challenges in the ninth grade include repeating the grade, which makes the student lose connection with the school and drop out. An approximate of 22% of students repeat the grade (Rumberger and Lim 8). The academically challenged students the school is not doing enough to help them perform well, and hence they lose hope of making it to graduation and opt to stop schooling. Additionally, some students claim that classes are not interesting, whereby the students argued that school was boring and not engaging, and this led to drop out. Poor performance is also a contributing factor whereby students get demotivated for constantly failing and decide to drop out of school. Other students claimed that failure to attend classes was also a significant cause in that the students felt that they had missed a lot and could not catch up with the other students.

Additionally, the level of parent involvement in the student’s education has played a significant role. The majority of parents and guardians are not actively concerned with the learning of the student, and mostly they only care about the discipline of the student (Neild 4). For example, most parents do not know the grades of their students, and they only raise their concerns when and get involved when they realize that their children are leaving school. Children from financially challenged backgrounds are on the verge of dropping out of school; this is because they will opt to look for jobs and support other family members. Early pregnancy also leads to school dropouts. The girls leave school because they need finances to help their children, yet they cannot afford it. Therefore, they are forced to leave school and look or jobs to the children. Drug abuse among the students has also contributed to the problem. Drug abuse among the students is on the rise. According to research, 58.6% of the dropouts use drugs. Engaging in drugs leads to disengagement and failure to attend classes and after that dropout.

The extent of the crisis

Research has shown that the drop out rates differ from different demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, immigration status, and geographic location. In the United States, males report high dropouts than females (Rumberger and Lim 33). Hispanics are leading in dropouts followed by African-Americans, on-Hispanic whites, and Asian Americans. Individuals born outside the Sates also report a high drop out rate than those born in the United States.

Additionally, the West and South have higher drop out rates than the Midwest and Northeast. The students who drop out of school face different challenges such as high rates of criminal behavior and incarceration, increased dependence on public assistance, higher rates of mortality, poorer health, lower earnings, and they do not vote. The dropouts also lead the government to incur huge costs. For example, the local, federal, and state government collect fewer taxes from the dropouts. Moreover, the government subsidizes high criminal activity, increased public assistance for the dropouts, and poorer health.

However, different measures can be put in place to prevent and reduce the school dropout crisis. Firstly, understanding the students who are at a higher risk of dropping out of school is essential. Understanding the different predictors that lead to school dropouts will help know the students on the verge of leaving school. Moreover, identifying the high schools with high rates of drop out will also be significant to start interventions both at the individual and school levels. Developing intervention programs is also an effective strategy. Twenty-eight dropout prevention programs have been evaluated by the What Works Clearinghouse at the Institute of Educational Sciences (Dropout Prevention 36). Some of the programs have demonstrated effectiveness in helping students continue with school and some significant improvements. Increasing utility among the high school students will also help keep them in school, improve their overall school experience, and influence their behavior. The understanding of the coursework by the student is a significant predictor of academic motivation and achievement.

Another common approach that may help curb high rates of dropouts is involving private agencies to help students address their personal needs. For example, programs such as Communities in Schools Atlanta and Good Shepherd Services in The New York City identify students at risk of dropping out of school and connect them to mentors (Dropout Prevention 40). The mentor works to help the student overcome challenges that may hinder them from getting to graduation. The sense of belongingness also helps students stay in school than the disengaged students. Proper interventions can lead students feeling comfortable and part of the learning process. Teachers can enhance and utilize the quality of learning by making students feel welcome in the classroom. Additionally, introducing a new curriculum will also be essential to accommodate students who want to seek employment after high school.

In conclusion, urban high school dropouts are a growing concern in America. Students drop out of school due to different factors such as parental influence and family, peer influence, pregnancy, drug addiction, and lack of interest in schoolwork. The significant predictors of school dropout are demographic and performance-related factors. However, implementation of some measures may reduce and prevent the high rates of dropouts. They may include identification of the students at higher risk of withdrawing from school and intervening at early stages, introducing a new curriculum accommodating needs of all the students, and involving private agencies to help students handle their personal needs.