America's School Dropout Epidemic By the Numbers

AMERICA'S SCHOOL DROPOUT EPIDEMIC BY THE NUMBERS Ш1 Only 7 in 10 ninth graders completed high school on time with a regular diploma. About 6 in 10 high school seniors go on to college the following year. WHY ARE STUDENTS DROPPING OUT? According to a survey of nearly 500 high school dropouts (by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation): 32% of dropouts said they left school to get a job and make money. 32% 22% 26% 22% of dropouts said they had to care for a family member. 26% of dropouts said they became a parent. BOREDOM 47% of dropouts said they left school because classes were 42% of dropouts said spending time with people who were not interested in 47% 42% not interesting. school was another major factor in the decision to drop out. ABSENCE Up to 40 percent of ninth-grade students in cities with the highest dropout rates repeat ninth grade. Research shows that chronic absence is an early warning indicator of potential dropout and affects a student's ability to master reading, pass 40% Only 10 to 15 percent of those repeaters go on to graduate. Courses and gain credits. UNEMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS Median annual earnings of full-time workers aged 25-24 $260,000 35,000 DIFFERENCE IN LIFETIME EARNINGS 30,000 BETWEEN A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE 25,000 AND A DROP OUT. 20,000 15,000 $1,000,000 10,000 5,000 MEN WOMEN ALL COLLEGE GRADUATES EARN ABOUT $1 MILLION MORE IN THEIR LIFETIME THAN DROPOUTS Without a high school diploma With a high school diploma (or equivalent) 5x More than 12% of working age adults without a high school diploma are unemployed; that's double the national 1x unemployment rate. A student from a low-income family is five times more likely to leave high school without earning 6% a diploma 12% than a peer from a wealthy family. NATIONAL TRENDS DROPOUT RATES BY REGION Dropout rates are highest in large cities for all regions of the country. Of the 10 states with the lowest graduation rates, 6 were from the South. 7.4% 10.1% 6.4% NORTHEAST WEST MIDWEST 6.6% SOUTH There are eleven states in which the graduation rate* for white students is 89 percent or higher, but no state where this is true for African American, Hispanic, or economically disadvantaged students. 20 STATES 16 STATES in which the graduation rate for African American students is < 66% in which the graduation rate for Hispanic students is <66% DROPOUT RATES (AGES 15-24) (estimates the percentage of high school students who left high school between the beginning of one school year and the beginning of the next without earning a high school diploma or an alternative credential) 2.4% 3.1% 3.8% 4.1% WHITE ASIAN BLACK HISPANIC HIGH SCHOOL NON-COMPLETER RATES Percent of all 15-24 year olds without a diploma + not enrolled in school 4.6 4.4% 6.5% 12.5% WHITE ASIAN BLACK HISPANIC REGRETS Many high school dropouts do not remain dropouts. They either re-enroll in high school and earn their diploma, or they earn a GED. 90% As adults, 4 out of 5 dropouts say that graduating from high school is important to success in life. Nearly 90% of 18-24-year-olds have a high school diploma, GED, or other equivalent credential. SOURCES: "Building a Grad Nation," February 2013, a report by Civic Enterprises "The Silent Epidemic," March 2006, a report by John M. Bridgeland for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation "The Condition of Education 2013," May 2013, a report by The National Center for Education Statistics "Preventing Future High School Dropouts," November 2008, Marcella R. Dianda, Ed.D, a report by the National Education Association sundance DREAM SCHOOL CHANNEL Designed by www.whoisshih.com $24,960 $32,450 $18,930 $25,910 $22,860 $29,950 10% %5%