Fall 2006 -- Vol. 59, No. 4

Rarely does America’s school dropout problem grab headlines like Hurricane Katrina. Yet the impact of this national challenge has been every bit as devastating to the lives of millions of individual Americans, their families and to our society and economy.

Across the country, every nine seconds a student drops out of school. In South Carolina, this translates into a shocking annual high school graduation rate of only 59 percent. The nationwide average is 73.9 percent.

For 20 years, the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC) at Clemson University has focused on the challenging issue of preventing students from leaving school before achieving a high school diploma. Over those 20 years, the importance of that goal has intensified as society has changed; however, the reasons that students drop out have stayed the same.

The top reasons remain that the student didn’t like school, was already failing, couldn’t get along with teachers, couldn’t keep up with work, got pregnant, felt like she or he didn’t belong.

Graduation rate, a powerful indicator of school effectiveness, tells policy-makers and practitioners that there is indeed a problem with our educational system, a system designed for another century.

Young people who drop out do not just disappear. Their dropping out has a lasting impact on themselves, their parents and siblings, and their future families as they become adults and have their own children.

Economically, individuals who drop out of school are hard pressed to find good-paying jobs and lack opportunities to advance a career. The failure to graduate more students is impeding our overall economy. For example:

• U.S. companies lose nearly $40 billion annually because of illiteracy.

• High school graduates, on the aver- age, earn $9,245 more per year than high school dropouts.

• High school dropouts are 3.5 times more likely than graduates to be arrested in their lifetime.

• The estimated tax revenue loss from every male, age 25 to 34, who didn’t complete high school is approximately $944 billion, with cost increases to public welfare and crime at $24 billion.

Consider the situation of the high school dropout. If female, chances are she’s a single teenage parent with responsibilities for herself and her child. Her lack of skills and education means unemployment or low-income jobs. The scarcity of affordable, quality day care compounds the problem, and her children may easily repeat the cycle. One of the highest predictors of dropping out is the mother’s level of education.

A male dropout likewise has few job options and career opportunities. If he has a family, he must work more than one job to pay the bills. He may succumb to the temptations of many of his peers and get involved in drugs and other crime. In fact, 75 percent of prison inmates are high school dropouts.

Consider also the communities and states where there are many individuals without high school diplomas. The impact on a community’s quality of life is obvious. The state government’s extra expenditures in welfare, prison and loss of income from a reduced tax base intensify the problem.

Some states, like South Carolina, are also noting the effect on recruiting industry to foster economic development. New industries generally need a high performance work force, a well-educated population with a minimum education of a high school diploma. And 21st century workers need to have additional skills and knowledge from a two- or four-year college.

The S.C. Legislature has boldly stepped forth in connecting the dots between an improved graduation rate and economic development. The Education and Economic Development Act (2005) is a visionary piece of legislation that focuses on improving academic achievement, career choices, work skills and the graduation rate of our students through a variety of effective strategies.

The 15 Effective Strategies that the NDPC has promoted from their 20 years of research is an important element supporting the legislation’s effort to combat the dropout issue. These strategies include a school/community perspective, early interventions, basic core strategies and making the most of instruction.

Other states, like South Carolina, have or are beginning to comprehend the important connection between high school graduation rates and a strong economic environment. At Clemson, we can be proud that the National Dropout Prevention Center has provided a road map toward success for one of the greatest challenges of our times.

To learn more about the 15 Effective Strategies or how you as a parent, business administrator or civic leader can help, go online at www.dropoutprevention.org.