drop out students in the U.S.

Running Head : THE DROP OUT RATE IN THE U .S

The Drop Out Rate In The U .S

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The Drop Out Rate In The U .S

Introduction

An examination of the issues related to dropouts or at-risk youth yields vague terminology and uncertain definitions with overlap in the terms at-risk , dropout , and potential dropout . In this article , the following working definitions are used . Dropouts are defined as those former students who have never received a high school diploma . At-risk students are defined as

those students who are still in school but appear likely to drop out

Causes And Effects of School Drop-outs

Factors related to students ' backgrounds appear in many studies of why students drop out . Based upon a review of a number of studies , Wayman (2002 ) cited low income and limited educational background of the family , being a member of a single-parent household , living in the Southwest , and living in a large city as factors statistically associated with higher dropout rates from high school . Saunders (2002 while agreeing that background factors are of consequence , argued for the importance of the interaction of particular background factors . For example , he found that when advantaged and disadvantaged background were held constant , minority youth were no more likely to drop out than White youth . In an analysis of data from the High School and Beyond data base of the National Center for Education Statistics , Ekstrom , Goertz Pollack , and Rock (1986 ) identified a number of factors related to dropping out , including : coming from poorer families , belonging to a racial or ethnic minority , being a young man , and attending a public school in an urban area of the South or West . In a recent study Saunders (2002 ) identified the following factors as related to dropping out "low educational and occupational attainment levels of parents , low family income , speaking a language other than English in the home single-parent families , and the absence of learning materials and opportunities in the home

In addition to background factors , a number of variables regarding student performance in and out of school have been cited as associated with dropping out . In their analysis , Barton (2005 ) pointed out that dropouts had lower school grades and test scores , did less homework , and had more disciplinary problems in school . Wayman 's analysis (2002 showed that half of all female dropouts left because of pregnancy and /or marriage . Controlling for academic achievement . they also found that the most reliable predictors of dropping out were truancy , expectations of school attainment , discipline problems , lateness to school , and numbers of hours worked . Barton (2005 ) found that dropping out was positively correlated with being behind in grade level , being pregnant , coming from a single-parent family , coming from a home where the father had dropped out of school , and having relatively little knowledge of the labor market

How To Motivate Them To Remain In School

Dropping-out can be prevented . Selling teens on the benefits of staying in school requires continual effort and a great...