What Is the Solution To the High School Dropout Crisis?
Originally posted at the National Journal's Education Experts blog, in response to the provocation: President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan often talk about the serious problem of high school "dropout factories" that graduate 60 percent or fewer of their students. But there is no broad consensus on how to address the issue. One solution, proposed by a Texas education official, is for states to voluntarily ban the hiring of high school dropouts as a way of keeping kids in school. What do you think is the best way to solve the high school dropout crisis?
Trying to reduce the rate of high school dropouts without directly and actively engaging parents is like trying to fix a leaky roof without plugging up the holes. You can put out lots of buckets, nail up some plastic, but every time it rains the water is going to gush right through. No matter how much we reform curriculum or improve teacher training, if parents aren’t voraciously leading the charge against dropping out, kids are going to continue to view leaving high school as a rational and easy option.
I say kids because we are talking about kids — the path to dropping out of high school starts in early elementary school. And as Pedro Noguera noted so well, much of the problems and the solutions lie beyond school walls. Parents are at the heart of students’ formation of goals, expectations, motivation and sense of accountability.
A recent study, led by Civic Enterprises and funded by the Gates Foundation, conducted focus groups and surveyed hundreds of dropouts across the country. What did they have to say? For almost half of respondents, parents or guardians had not been involved in their schooling; most of those that were involved only became so toward the end of their child’s high school career for disciplinary reasons. The majority of parents were not aware of their child’s chronic truancy; less than half said that their parents were contacted by the school if they were absent. One of the top five reasons dropouts gave for leaving was that they had “too much freedom and not enough rules;” another top reason was that they’d missed too many days. Over two thirds of respondents said that they didn’t “feel motivated or inspired to work hard.”
What should be done? Ask the dropouts, themselves. Seven in ten said that more parental involvement would have made a difference.
We need outreach and education such that all parents — poor parents, working parents, parents who don’t speak English — are empowered to guide their children’s education. Parents need easy access to good information, enabling them to answer basic questions: Is my child on-track with academic requirements? If not, where is he/she struggling and what resources are available to get up to grade-level? What does my child have for homework? Is my child frequently late to or missing school? Beyond this, parents need support in cultivating the high expectations, goals and college/career planning that can sustain their children through the high school years.
Many policymakers and funders shy away from the realm of parenting, perhaps because it seems too difficult to influence. But we shouldn’t give up. Even a modest increase in effective parent involvement could have as much impact as major school reforms.
In the ongoing debate about how to improve education, everyone seems to forget to ask students for their opinion. Project New School wants to change that. Project New School is inviting students to get behind the lens and make a mini-documentary about their high school. www.projectnewschool.com
Posted by Mario on October 03, 2009 at 06:45 PM
A very good point. Students need to be included!
Posted by Annie on November 01, 2009 at 08:34 PM
teens shouldnt drop out anyways
Posted by Linda on November 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM