Drop Outs
Educational Failure
“Every year, over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone. That 's a student every 26 seconds – or 7,000 a day” (Thornbergh). Why this happening and more importantly, what is being done to solve this problem? Because of boring classes, too much freedom, and just a lack of motivation, students nationwide are dropping out of school, and are starting on the path of minimum wage and regret. Schools are trying to resolve this issue by giving the support students the help they need, and giving them alternatives to traditional schooling.
“…nearly 1 out of 3 public high school students won 't graduate”(Thornbergh). That’s one third of today’s youths. That’s one out of three people that won’t go to college. That’s one of three people that won’t know the rewarding feeling of getting a diploma. But what’s wrong with this one third that isn 't wrong with the other two thirds? Some say it’s because if society, others say it’s because of schools.
Really only half of the problem lies with schools. There are only a small percentage of dropouts that feel that they could never meet the criteria that the school demanded. “Unfortunately, many students are not given the extra support they need to make a successful transition to high school and are lost in ninth grade”(Galesic 317). Most others aren 't engaged in school. “Boredom and disengagement are two key reasons students stop attending class and wind up dropping out of school”(Furger). “Fully 88% said they had passing grades in high school. When asked to name the reasons they had left school, more respondents named boredom than struggles with course work”(Thornbergh). With this combination, schools become what many students feel to be a waste of time. When schools get this reputation, they become what is known as dropout factories. “Approximately two thousand high schools (about 12 percent), known as the nation’ lowest performing high schools, produce nearly half of the
“Every year, over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone. That 's a student every 26 seconds – or 7,000 a day” (Thornbergh). Why this happening and more importantly, what is being done to solve this problem? Because of boring classes, too much freedom, and just a lack of motivation, students nationwide are dropping out of school, and are starting on the path of minimum wage and regret. Schools are trying to resolve this issue by giving the support students the help they need, and giving them alternatives to traditional schooling.
“…nearly 1 out of 3 public high school students won 't graduate”(Thornbergh). That’s one third of today’s youths. That’s one out of three people that won’t go to college. That’s one of three people that won’t know the rewarding feeling of getting a diploma. But what’s wrong with this one third that isn 't wrong with the other two thirds? Some say it’s because if society, others say it’s because of schools.
Really only half of the problem lies with schools. There are only a small percentage of dropouts that feel that they could never meet the criteria that the school demanded. “Unfortunately, many students are not given the extra support they need to make a successful transition to high school and are lost in ninth grade”(Galesic 317). Most others aren 't engaged in school. “Boredom and disengagement are two key reasons students stop attending class and wind up dropping out of school”(Furger). “Fully 88% said they had passing grades in high school. When asked to name the reasons they had left school, more respondents named boredom than struggles with course work”(Thornbergh). With this combination, schools become what many students feel to be a waste of time. When schools get this reputation, they become what is known as dropout factories. “Approximately two thousand high schools (about 12 percent), known as the nation’ lowest performing high schools, produce nearly half of the
Cited: Bridgeland, John M., John J. DiIulio, Jr., and Karen Burke Morison. The Silent Epidemic. Pub. N.p.: Civic Enterprises, 2006. ignite learning. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. . Furger, Roberta. “How to End the Dropout Crisis: Ten Strategies for Student Retention.” Edutopia. George Lugas Educational Foundation, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. . This website gives a number of solutions that could help with the dropout problem. Galesic, Mirta. “Dropouts on the Web: Effects of Interest and Burden Experienced During an Online Survey.” Journal of Ofufb01cial Statistics 22.2 (2006): 313-28. Print. This journal includes a lot of statistical that will help in proving my main points. Guernsey, Lisa, and Sara Mead. “Transforming education in the primary years: we must invest in building a high-quality early education system that starts at age three and extends through the third grade.” Issues in Science and Technology 27.1 (2010): 63+. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 25 Sep. 2012. Sum, Andrew, Ishwar Khatiwada, and Joseph McLaughlin. “The Consequences of Dropping Out.” America’s Promice. Center for Labor Market Studies, n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. . This article gives good information on what students would be facing when they drop out. The article list the effects on of dropping out on society, family, and the person dropping out. Thornbergh, Nathan. “Dropout Nation.” Times 9 Apr. 2006: n. pag. Drop out nation. Web. 11 Sept. 2012