Category: Dropping Out of School

School dropout is described as an act where students leave school before the completion of the program for which they are enrolled for unforeseen reasons Douglas & Garbe (2014). School dropout is one of the most disturbing acts which affect students academically, parents, schools, and the nation as a whole. Most researchers defined the phenomenon of dropout differently, according to Jamil et al (2010). School dropout is a term used for children who for any reason other than death, discontinued schooling and leave their education uncompleted.

The importance of education cannot be ignored in this ever-changing world. It is an established fact that many developed countries achieved their development due to their high-quality education system because quality education ensures quality individuals. Thus education is fundamental for every individual which is the basic unit of society, playing a vital role needed for healthy societies. Therefore, society is said to be unhealthy when a considerable percentage of its inhabitants are school dropouts.

Most researchers defined the phenomenon of dropout differently, according to Jamil et al (2010). School dropout is a term used for children who for any reason other than death, discontinued schooling and leave their education uncompleted. Basic education has gained central importance in the lives of students for achieving further higher education. This is the initial gateway for enhancing the literacy rate, and societies provide basic for Social, Political, and Economic Development.

Causes of school dropout

Children may drop out of school due to many reasons. Studies listed these reasons based on their social, political, cultural, economic, and environmental circumstances.

Fauzia, (2016) also forward that literacy, poverty, low level of motivation, lack of understanding, child labor, corporal punishment, teacher behavior, and the school environment are such factors that contribute to school dropout.

Therefore, the causes of school dropout can be grouped into the following; Environmental, Social, and Economic factors which are outlined below.

Environmental Factors

Some teachers did not care about the students or help them in any productive way, making most students lose interest in academic work, teachers need to use interactive teaching strategies to develop a positive relationship with their students.

Poor infrastructure of the school, such as students being congested in a classroom, made most uncomfortable and as a result, will make some students drop out if not rectified as soon as possible.

Inadequate security of students, whereby students are hurt without any help from authorities, will deter most students to stop school.

Lack of proximity of the school to the student, in some instances the site or location of the school are little far from the community, which makes some students feel reluctant to go to school if there is no means of transport.

Social Factors

Peer Pressure: some friends do influence their colleagues negatively and make them act exactly the way they act.

Pregnancy and parenthood: Teenage pregnancy can pose concerns for students trying to complete high school academic requirements. Nearly one-third of teen girls who drop out of school state early pregnancy and parenthood as the key reasons for their decision, according to TheNationalCampaign.org. Pregnant teens may feel embarrassed about going back to school, struggle with morning sickness or fatigue, and have difficulty keeping up with their classwork. Taking care of a baby is time-consuming, so many may not have the energy to complete school.

Boredom: Students often drop out of school due to apathy or boredom. Students often report that academic content isn’t interesting and they don’t have a personal connection with their teachers, according to an article in ‘Psychology Today’. High school dropouts and students may have other alternatives that seem more appealing, such as getting a job or starting a career.

High school students who aren’t interested in going to college may not see the value of a high school education. Boredom is a problem that must be addressed by students, parents, school faculty, and education boards to see if better course offerings and more student-teacher interactions would help.

Academic struggles: High school students often drop out of school because they struggle academically and don’t think they will have the credits necessary to graduate. Some high school students don’t want to risk failing, which could mean summer school or another year of high school. High school students’ academic problems often lead to a loss of scholarships or grants and may result in having to repeat classes to earn needed credits.

Economic Factors

Lack of parental support: The lack of parental involvement is a problem that often leads to higher dropout rates, especially among high school students. Parents play an important role when it comes to high school attendance. High school dropouts often have parents who weren’t engaged or concerned with their academic success. If a parent doesn’t encourage her child to stay in school, show interest in classes and teachers, communicate with teachers and administrators, or pay attention to homework assignments, the child may not see any reason to follow through with the coursework. When parents don’t prioritize their child’s high school education, the child may choose to drop out, according to an article on the United Way Website.

Money: Some high school students drop out because they want to work and earn money. They may need money to finance a car, pay for auto insurance, buy clothes or electronics, and pay for housing or support unhealthy addictions. Most high school students don’t have the time and energy to go to school all day, complete homework assignments, and still work enough hours to support lofty expenses. Dropouts who are concerned about their immediate, short-term financial situation may see a full-time job as the best way to maintain the lifestyle they desire. (Malik et al, 2000)

Effects of school dropout

Unemployment: One way in which people are affected by their decision to drop out of high school is a greater chance of being unemployed. The unemployment rate for young high school dropouts was roughly 54% in 2017, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor. The same report states that the unemployment rate for those who merely completed high school was significantly lower, only 32%. (Stuart,2018)

Lower income: When high school dropouts do find employment, they earn, on average, significantly less than those who completed high school. A 2018 report from the Bureau of

Labor stated that high school dropouts in America earned a mere 73% of what their peers who completed high school earned. Of all the countries included in the report, the difference between these two groups was the largest in the United States (Stuart, 2018).

Incarceration: Incarceration in some sort of correctional facilities, such as a jail or juvenile detention center, is also a more likely scenario for high school dropouts. (Stuart,2018)

Missed opportunities. Another, less tangible consequence of school dropout of high school is missing all the different opportunities that come about as a result of not finishing school. High school is a good place to explore intellectual interests, play team sports and meet friends. By completing high school, students can also go on to a post-secondary school and further expand on those opportunities. Even if they choose not to, they leave that option open for later in life.

Single motherhood. Single motherhood is both a cause and a consequence of not finishing high school. Among women aged 16 and 24, high school dropouts were the group most likely to be single mothers, with 22.6% of this group being single mothers. Only 22.6% of women in this age group having a bachelor’s degree were also single mothers. Additionally, most of the single mothers who did not finish high school were poor and radiant on government assistance to raise their children. (Sarah, 2001)

Prevention of school dropout

Monetary Assistance: Loan accessibility: Children who are from families that gain access to loans from banks or any other form of financial assistance are unlikely to be taken out of school. This affects those in rural areas as loan becomes difficult to access. Provisional assistance is an important intervention for school dropouts. There are some forms of assistance such as monetary, food, clothing, and many others which facilitate parents to send their wards to school.

Quality Intervention: Intensive care: It is important to improve monitoring, accountability measures, and motivation. Parents’ involvement and frequent accurate information from school authorities are very imperative in intensive care. Monitoring is not only the factor that can be used to resolve the problem of school dropout under quality intervention rather community involvement can be used as a review. Also, community participation in school activities or collaboration between school authorities and the community as a whole can help increase enrollment in education and moderate dropouts as well as improve teachers’ attendance.

Educate both parents and students on the need to complete school, and the effects of school dropout, and encourage them not to engage themselves to stay at home. There should be some measures to ensure good interpersonal relationships among teachers and students to make them have an interest in school and obtain the desire to be in school. Provision of basic needs to the students by parents which will make their outfit normal and have the wish to be in school. Government should collaborate with schools to organize scholarships for brilliant but needy students to motivate them.

Every year in the United States of America 1.2 million kids drop out of high school. This is not acceptable for a country to be known as the cornerstone of modern advancement in technology and social freedom. Not only is this one of the most prevalent issues facing us at the moment, but it also will have consequences for the future. Today’s children are tomorrow’s future. It is also our responsibility to tend to our community and listen to their problem because their problem is also our problem. Hearing our communities’ reasons for not having the ability to achieve a high school degree will make it easier to understand their situation and will make us come up with a better solution. As a community, we want to do everything in our power to prevent high school kids from dropping out because we know that it will cause consequences for their future. This paper will discuss what are some of the contributing factors as to why students would drop out of high school, as well as some consequences. In the end, this paper will discuss why the community must take action and some possible solutions for combatting the crisis, in which the community is involved. Using leadership skills such as community care and critical hope is crucial for developing a plan of action for a community to take. Community care is understanding that other people’s problems are our problems because we as a society are judged by how we treat the less fortunate in our community. Having critical hope in which we give a beacon of light for success with first understanding where your boat is in the midst of all the fog. By also giving the captain of the boat the right knowledge in steering the boat to the harbor of success in life. The boat which represents a struggling person needs to know that hope cannot just be a beacon of light, but critical hope is understanding other people’s circumstances and having effective means of dealing with their circumstances. One cannot expect people to succeed if the playing field is not the same. Understanding others’ problems and having effective means of helping others is part of being critical when showing good hope.

There are various reasons why students drop out of high school. These reasons range from simple to complex reasons why a student drops out of high school. Dropping out of high school not only affects the individual who has dropped out. Their action will also affect those who surround them. A study done by the U.S. Department of Education showed that students who have multiple abscesses between grades 8 to 12 lead to students have a seven times higher rate of dropping out (NCES). When students do not attend school consistently, they lose important material, which then leads to more work because they now have to learn previous material and whatever currently is being taught. If abscesses are not corrected early, the amount of school work material needed to be learned could increase exponentially, leading to the student being overwhelmed.

Mental illness affects many people in America, but for students during high school, it could be detrimental if the illness is left untreated. It is crucial to signal the problem because adolescence is the most important year of someone’s life because a major decision tends to have major consequences, due to the pressure of opportunities put on students. More often depression in students can be seen as merely someone who is just being moody. The truth is that easy judgment like that tends to not help anyone. The pressure of school and adult responsibilities can overwhelm students, and it is expected of them to move through all of these responsibilities stoically. Overwhelming responsibilities from school, family, and friends can lead to students wanting to escape from all the stress, leading to a drop in academic performance. Not being able to see a clear resolution in their head leads to a decision that they might regret in the future.

In addition to why some studies drop out, a study done by the National Center for Education Statistics found that students with families with low income have the highest rates of dropping out at 9.4% (NCES). Students in these circumstances cannot afford to let their families sink financially, so they have to get a job to support the household income. This means letting go of the school’s responsibility to have a job.

Understanding the difficulties of others is crucial in giving hope to people who are struggling. One cannot give hope to others if the individual does not understand the circumstances in which others come from. Also, knowing the consequences of not finishing high school is important because individuals can have a better understanding of the situation they are in.

High school dropouts have created detrimental consequences in our overall economy. Each year, dropouts cost the United States over 200 billion dollars in lost earnings due to people not making the same amount as people who do end up graduating. The negative impact of high school dropouts worsens the economy every time a student chooses to drop out of school. This epidemic that is increasing has become a vicious cycle that must be put to an end. Studies have shown that one must attain a high school degree to combat poverty. Moreover, studies have also shown that a high school degree is not seen the same now as it was in the past. More often than not, a high school dropout will earn less in a lifetime than an individual who has graduated high school and continued to further their education. Studies have also shown that 90 % of the 11,000 youth in detention facilities have no more than a 9th-grade education. If we were able to as a community mentor young students during elementary and middle school, their chances of dropping out of high school would decrease substantially.

As a community, it is our responsibility to tend to the people who do not have the same amount of resources as the majority. A country that prides itself on being the greatest in the world still has a long way of caring for its oppressed. A country that has a history of denying rights to minorities needs to acknowledge its faults and amend some reparations for its people. Minorities such as blacks and Hispanics have one of the highest rates of dropping out of high school. We as a community need to acknowledge the uneven playing field on which they have to compete. In the era of Sal Castro’s L.A. walkouts of 1968, Hispanic American people were seen as second-class citizens. They were never expected by America at the time to achieve higher education. Sal Castro fought for equal opportunity for Hispanics to achieve higher education. His leadership made his movement successful, and his achievement can be seen in academia today, where we see minorities attending colleges at higher rates than before. We can learn from the Sal Castro leadership style and implement it in helping out the community. In Sal Castro’s walkouts, he had the ability to connect with people emotionally. He motivated a crowd to walk out and protest the injustice that was being done to minorities. His ability to connect to other people was crucial in the development of his movement. The ability to connect to other people and in motivating the masses was also present in Martin Luther King Jr.’s movement. He did not just tell people what to do, but instead, he inspired them. He was articulate in conveying his message.

In the quest of helping out others in our community our people, we do not have to be as articulate as Martin Luther King Jr or generate a movement as big as Sal Castro’s 1968, East L.A. walkouts, but what the community can do is learn their leadership style.

In helping out others it is important in having someone you can look up to. In the 1968 East L.A. walkouts, Sal Castro was responsible for motivating others. His leadership style, which consisted of being a guiding star of hope, can be implemented in the quest in helping in the reduction of high school dropouts. The implementation of a peer-to-peer mentoring program can be one of the most effective and convenient ways of leading someone’s life to success. A mentoring program that consists of a student who is enrolled at Canada College can earn credits for mentoring a student in high school. The program could be supervised by someone who is an expert in counseling. Mentors would provide counseling but would need to approach, with the willingness to listen and understand. They must also show honesty, meaning that they will be able to tell the student the truth, even if it seems to be ugly. Honesty with diplomacy. This does not mean that insensitivity is at play, but in reality, one needs to know the truth before the circumstances to show hope. This concept is found in the literature by Jeff Duncan-Andrade ‘Growing Roses on Concrete’, in which the literature talks about the concept of giving hokey hope. It defines hokey hope as ‘hokey’ because it ignores the laundry list of inequalities that impact the lives of urban youth. One cannot ignore the facts that are presented in inequalities or else the means of achieving that goal could run the risk of being overwhelmed by the inequalities that the individuals must face. That being said mentors need to have the ability to listen to others, first understanding the circumstances in which they are coming from and give advice to them. Then that advice needs to be in line with whatever their circumstances are. This sometimes means that they have to work harder than other students who have more resources than them.

Sometimes a tough conversation may seem like nothing more than a pain, but a tough conversation is critical to the further development of someone’s future. ‘Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters the Most’ by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen says that individuals do not usually look forward to having difficult conversations, but that it is necessary to have them because if not done, individuals run the risk of letting themselves get hurt or others. Needing to say what needs to be said is important because the truth is a value that most people hold in the highest regard.

When the truth is held in high regard in a relationship of mentorship, this consequently creates trust. Trust is one of the best predictors of relationship success, without it we are not connecting with the other individual fully. This is brought up in ‘Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters the Most’, in which Douglas Stone talks about how saying the truth is always the best for the individual. Implementing empathy is needed in understanding others. The golden rule states: “Treat others the same way you want to be treated”. Then, there is the platinum rule, which states: “Treat others the way they want to be treated”. The platinum rule envelops the practice of empathy in that it differs from sympathy. Sympathy does not take as much emotional intelligence as would being empathic. With empathy, you need to practice putting yourself in other’s shoes, which requires more from an individual. Practicing the platinum rule while mentoring capitulates what it means to be an effective leader in someone else’s life.

In conclusion, to help out in eliminating high school dropout rates one first needs to understand where the individual who drops out of high school is coming from. There are many reasons that do not meet the eye, by first understanding, better ways to help to solve issues in our community arise. Knowing the consequences of not finishing a high school degree is also crucial because it paints a well-informed informed future for that student. Coming up with plans of action is now an effective means for eradicating the problem. One of the many ways the community can get involved in helping reduce dropout rates is by becoming a mentor to students in high school who are at the most risk of dropping out. One cannot be just a mentor who says anything that seems inspiring and expects that person to excel. An effective mentor means listening to others first and then coming up with solutions.

Works Cited

1. Catterall, J. S. (1985). On the Social Costs of Dropping Out of Schools. (Report No.86-SEPT-3).
2. Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Center for Educational Research.
3. Hernandez, Sussette. “Impact: High School DropOut”. Alternative Schools Network, https://www.asnchicago.org/hs-drop-out-impact.
4. Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade (2009). Note to Educators: Hope Required When Growing Roses in Concrete. Harvard Educational Review: July 2009, Vol. 79, No. 2, pp. 181-194.
5. “Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Minorities”. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a Part of the U.S. Department of Education, https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/minoritytrends/ind_4_15.asp.
6. “The NCES Fast Facts Tool Provides Quick Answers to Many Education Questions (National Center for Education Statistics)”. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a Part of the U.S. Department of Education, https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=16
7. Stone, D., Patton, B. & Heen, S. (2014). Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most. Leadership Development Studies: A Humanities Approach, (5), 171-175. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil Publishing.

We live in a democratic environment, the main purpose of which is to obtain a better education for all students. These days, it seems like a disgrace for the youth to say they have a great opportunity for education, as the high school dropout rate has risen in a way that is not even easy to control. In previous years, it was likely for men to drop out of high school, but in our days, the scale is opposing that statement, both sexes are likely to experience the same. According to my view of society, it has come to my attention that high school dropouts are experienced in all countries in the educational system. Many researchers have conducted some studies to explore the reasons why learners drop out of school before obtaining their matric certificate. So, in this essay, I want to consider some of them.

Family conflicts are one of the factors contributing to students dropping out of high school. When parents work hand in hand in assisting their young ones concerning the issue of education, it creates positive results when it comes to the learners that are found in that household. Parents who are always fighting or having conflicts in front of their children don’t get enough time to be involved in their child’s school work, which mostly leads to the dropout of the learners. Some researchers have also emphasized that such an issue is more likely due to the issue of gender-based violence, for instance in South Africa. Some parents have a negative attitude when it comes to education, they neglect it a lot, so they never mind what they are doing in front of the children and how much it can affect the child’s mental health. Makwinja-Morara (2007) indicated that parents of dropouts showed little involvement in the academic and/or non-academic affairs of their children. Masitsa (2006) cited inadequate parental support as a frequent cause of learner dropouts.

Teenage pregnancy also plays an important role in why students drop out of high school. During the adolescent years, most teenagers often get pregnant. Being a teenage mother is not an easy thing since firstly it becomes discrimination in public, school, and even at home, then the young person becomes under pressure that leads her to drop out of school. At some point when someone experiences the gestation period, they frequently become absent from school due to some complications that most pregnant women experience, and this leads to eventual school dropouts.

Socioeconomic status is a significant predictor of student performance at school, besides the other school, peer, and student factors. Parental education also has effects on student academic performance, while parental occupation has little effect on their child’s performance in studies than their education, so if a parent lacks all of what I have mentioned above, it is more likely for a learner to drop out of the school (Mweti, 2013). Students’ gender strongly affects their academic performance, with girls performing better in subjects of mathematics and English as while as cumulatively (Mweti, 2013). The low income of parents is a first-rate obstacle to instructional achievement and improvement on the part of scholars. Students’ academic overall performance can be predicted through a series of social-monetary elements resident in parents, circle of relatives, and community. The above-mentioned can cause stress, which could result in a person figuring out to go away from high school.

Substance abuse is the involvement of someone in drugs, so if a learner decides to involve him or herself in drugs, he or she is most likely to experience the issue of dropping out of high school. Many people between the puberty stage experience a lot of things, which also include substance ingestion, which leads to a high level of dropout when people are at the high school level. In most cases, school content needs someone who is motivated enough to tackle the school content in order to achieve the best results, while substance abuse inhibits that content, which stimulates the motive from the brain and results in poor performance, which ultimately lead to dropping out of the school.

And the last and most important factor contributing to students dropping out of high school is peer pressure. Some learners lack the fact that they are not coming from the same background, which results in someone wanting something that he or she cannot afford, which then leads to the pressure that causes anxiety and depression, and seeing yourself not being able to afford some stuff that your peers afford, and that can lead to dropping out of school. The findings of the study conducted by Jordan, Lara, and McPartland (1996) in the United States of America indicated that the influence of peers is the cause of school dropout because these children are dependent on their peer groups and adhere to the group’s deviant norms. In some schools, learners just suggest that a particular thing can be wise when everyone takes it, for example, substance abuse, due to peers some learners find themselves in trouble or in a position of dropping out of school for something that they could have prevented.

In conclusion, the answer to the question of why students still drop out of high school can be different. The most important factors, however, are family conflicts, teenage pregnancy, socioeconomic factors, substance abuse, and of course peer pressure.

From a historical point of view, early school leaving is an important theme in our societies. Indeed, although there are prevention campaigns against dropping out, some studies highlight the fact that school dropout rates have increased (Bong & Skaalvik, 2003). Societies are changing, children’s compulsory schooling has been extended, and full employment is no longer available. All these elements make school dropout an important issue from now on.

To begin with, it is obvious but important to note that dropping out of school is a potentially traumatic event for an individual. But this is also the case for the family. Several studies show that dropping out of school has economic or health consequences (Doll, Eslami & Walters, 2013). At this point in time, we can ask ourselves if dropping out of school is a cause or a consequence. Well, some studies tend to show that school dropout is clearly influenced by social conditions, the environment in which the individual lives, but also the political context (Wood and al., 2017). This does not mean that the context fully explains the dropout, but it contributes to it. It is impossible to deny that there are also academic factors that have an impact on the decision to stop school. It is already clear that early school leaving is a slow process whose end is the total cessation of classes without obtaining a diploma. In other words, some authors show that repeated and significant stressors can influence this mechanism.

It is interesting to note that some studies show that boys are more concerned about dropping out of school than girls (Tamer, 2014).

School dropout has no cause. There are several factors that can influence dropout. Some factors seem logical to us, such as disinterest in the course in question, and daily problems, but the most significant effect would be that of peers.

Other authors focus on the effect of stress on quitting. Indeed, a student’s repeated confrontation with stress could lead to dropping out (Samuel & Burger, 2019). Stress can also be manifested in many events.

In response to this, an essential element that can prevent school dropout is social support. There are two types of social support. The one perceived and the one received. This is important because the individual will receive some help that is not the same as the support of fact. Although it is not fully known if this has an effect on dropping out, it is still important because it provides clues as to the origin of the intention to drop out of school.

Say Linda drops out in tenth grade she has to work her whole life in whatever job she can find. It wouldn’t be easy work either it would be hard labor. So, thirty years go by and she has carpal tunnel and her arms are weaker. She can’t stop working because she will be homeless. 10 years later her arms give out She’s living in an old person’s home that her kids decided would be best for her. She is now 101 living in the same retirement home. She told me her meals have been the same 7 meals the past 20 years of her life. I tell myself I don’t want to go that path every day.

As a dropout student, you will find it hard to get a decent job. Most jobs require at least a high school diploma. Cameron says, ‘I’ve put many applications with no return phone call. This proves dropping out can cause getting a job to be difficult. The thing is in this generation we are so addicted to instant gratification that we don’t plan for the future. Dropping out can also lead to things like hard drugs and addiction. This can lead to becoming homeless as well as starving. Dropout students go through a lot of bullying because people don’t want to see someone who could finish high school win. It seems like the labels they earn are some of the worst, such as dirty, loser, low life, and worst of all less of a person.

Are you contemplating dropping out of high school? Well here are some things you’ll want to know before deciding. If you drop out, you can only hope for a job above minimum wage. If you decide to finish high school, you could go to college and get a degree. Once you have a degree you can get a job making good money. Once you get this job you may not love it. You may spend your life doing something the system planned for you. Therefore, your college trip was regretful because money doesn’t create happiness. Make a wise decision to ensure your happiness in the future.

Dropping out of high school really isn’t the best option. It creates so many life problems that are really unnecessary. I see so many people on a day-to-day basis who have dropped out. Many seem depressed and anxious, and others seem like nothing is wrong at all: maybe those ones are just really good at hiding it. You have to realize people who drop out aren’t planning on success. The only way to become successful if you drop out is either luck or to become famous. Just go to school, don’t ditch your classes for something in the future when it’s in the past.

Dedicate time to your education if you want to graduate. you have to want to do it yourself. Respect the knowledge and learn. Do you want to spend your life in the trash? You want to be successful, sit in class, and pay attention. Learn self-control and how to work in a structured environment. Most jobs are very structured and follow a tight schedule, much like school. If you go through school, you can follow your dreams after you succeed in life as a member of the government’s workforce.

School dropout is described as an act where students leave school before the completion of the program for which they are enrolled for unforeseen reasons Douglas & Garbe (2014). School dropout is one of the most disturbing acts which affect students academically, parents, schools, and the nation as a whole. Most researchers defined the phenomenon of dropout differently, according to Jamil et al (2010). School dropout is a term used for children who for any reason other than death, discontinued schooling and leave their education uncompleted.

The importance of education cannot be ignored in this ever-changing world. It is an established fact that many developed countries achieved their development due to their high-quality education system because quality education ensures quality individuals. Thus education is fundamental for every individual which is the basic unit of society, playing a vital role needed for healthy societies. Therefore, society is said to be unhealthy when a considerable percentage of its inhabitants are school dropouts.

Most researchers defined the phenomenon of dropout differently, according to Jamil et al (2010). School dropout is a term used for children who for any reason other than death, discontinued schooling and leave their education uncompleted. Basic education has gained central importance in the lives of students for achieving further higher education. This is the initial gateway for enhancing the literacy rate, and societies provide basic for Social, Political, and Economic Development.

Causes of school dropout

Children may drop out of school due to many reasons. Studies listed these reasons based on their social, political, cultural, economic, and environmental circumstances.

Fauzia, (2016) also forward that literacy, poverty, low level of motivation, lack of understanding, child labor, corporal punishment, teacher behavior, and the school environment are such factors that contribute to school dropout.

Therefore, the causes of school dropout can be grouped into the following; Environmental, Social, and Economic factors which are outlined below.

Environmental Factors

Some teachers did not care about the students or help them in any productive way, making most students lose interest in academic work, teachers need to use interactive teaching strategies to develop a positive relationship with their students.

Poor infrastructure of the school, such as students being congested in a classroom, made most uncomfortable and as a result, will make some students drop out if not rectified as soon as possible.

Inadequate security of students, whereby students are hurt without any help from authorities, will deter most students to stop school.

Lack of proximity of the school to the student, in some instances the site or location of the school are little far from the community, which makes some students feel reluctant to go to school if there is no means of transport.

Social Factors

Peer Pressure: some friends do influence their colleagues negatively and make them act exactly the way they act.

Pregnancy and parenthood: Teenage pregnancy can pose concerns for students trying to complete high school academic requirements. Nearly one-third of teen girls who drop out of school state early pregnancy and parenthood as the key reasons for their decision, according to TheNationalCampaign.org. Pregnant teens may feel embarrassed about going back to school, struggle with morning sickness or fatigue, and have difficulty keeping up with their classwork. Taking care of a baby is time-consuming, so many may not have the energy to complete school.

Boredom: Students often drop out of school due to apathy or boredom. Students often report that academic content isn’t interesting and they don’t have a personal connection with their teachers, according to an article in ‘Psychology Today’. High school dropouts and students may have other alternatives that seem more appealing, such as getting a job or starting a career.

High school students who aren’t interested in going to college may not see the value of a high school education. Boredom is a problem that must be addressed by students, parents, school faculty, and education boards to see if better course offerings and more student-teacher interactions would help.

Academic struggles: High school students often drop out of school because they struggle academically and don’t think they will have the credits necessary to graduate. Some high school students don’t want to risk failing, which could mean summer school or another year of high school. High school students’ academic problems often lead to a loss of scholarships or grants and may result in having to repeat classes to earn needed credits.

Economic Factors

Lack of parental support: The lack of parental involvement is a problem that often leads to higher dropout rates, especially among high school students. Parents play an important role when it comes to high school attendance. High school dropouts often have parents who weren’t engaged or concerned with their academic success. If a parent doesn’t encourage her child to stay in school, show interest in classes and teachers, communicate with teachers and administrators, or pay attention to homework assignments, the child may not see any reason to follow through with the coursework. When parents don’t prioritize their child’s high school education, the child may choose to drop out, according to an article on the United Way Website.

Money: Some high school students drop out because they want to work and earn money. They may need money to finance a car, pay for auto insurance, buy clothes or electronics, and pay for housing or support unhealthy addictions. Most high school students don’t have the time and energy to go to school all day, complete homework assignments, and still work enough hours to support lofty expenses. Dropouts who are concerned about their immediate, short-term financial situation may see a full-time job as the best way to maintain the lifestyle they desire. (Malik et al, 2000)

Effects of school dropout

Unemployment: One way in which people are affected by their decision to drop out of high school is a greater chance of being unemployed. The unemployment rate for young high school dropouts was roughly 54% in 2017, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor. The same report states that the unemployment rate for those who merely completed high school was significantly lower, only 32%. (Stuart,2018)

Lower income: When high school dropouts do find employment, they earn, on average, significantly less than those who completed high school. A 2018 report from the Bureau of

Labor stated that high school dropouts in America earned a mere 73% of what their peers who completed high school earned. Of all the countries included in the report, the difference between these two groups was the largest in the United States (Stuart, 2018).

Incarceration: Incarceration in some sort of correctional facilities, such as a jail or juvenile detention center, is also a more likely scenario for high school dropouts. (Stuart,2018)

Missed opportunities. Another, less tangible consequence of school dropout of high school is missing all the different opportunities that come about as a result of not finishing school. High school is a good place to explore intellectual interests, play team sports and meet friends. By completing high school, students can also go on to a post-secondary school and further expand on those opportunities. Even if they choose not to, they leave that option open for later in life.

Single motherhood. Single motherhood is both a cause and a consequence of not finishing high school. Among women aged 16 and 24, high school dropouts were the group most likely to be single mothers, with 22.6% of this group being single mothers. Only 22.6% of women in this age group having a bachelor’s degree were also single mothers. Additionally, most of the single mothers who did not finish high school were poor and radiant on government assistance to raise their children. (Sarah, 2001)

Prevention of school dropout

Monetary Assistance: Loan accessibility: Children who are from families that gain access to loans from banks or any other form of financial assistance are unlikely to be taken out of school. This affects those in rural areas as loan becomes difficult to access. Provisional assistance is an important intervention for school dropouts. There are some forms of assistance such as monetary, food, clothing, and many others which facilitate parents to send their wards to school.

Quality Intervention: Intensive care: It is important to improve monitoring, accountability measures, and motivation. Parents’ involvement and frequent accurate information from school authorities are very imperative in intensive care. Monitoring is not only the factor that can be used to resolve the problem of school dropout under quality intervention rather community involvement can be used as a review. Also, community participation in school activities or collaboration between school authorities and the community as a whole can help increase enrollment in education and moderate dropouts as well as improve teachers’ attendance.

Educate both parents and students on the need to complete school, and the effects of school dropout, and encourage them not to engage themselves to stay at home. There should be some measures to ensure good interpersonal relationships among teachers and students to make them have an interest in school and obtain the desire to be in school. Provision of basic needs to the students by parents which will make their outfit normal and have the wish to be in school. Government should collaborate with schools to organize scholarships for brilliant but needy students to motivate them.

Every year in the United States of America 1.2 million kids drop out of high school. This is not acceptable for a country to be known as the cornerstone of modern advancement in technology and social freedom. Not only is this one of the most prevalent issues facing us at the moment, but it also will have consequences for the future. Today’s children are tomorrow’s future. It is also our responsibility to tend to our community and listen to their problem because their problem is also our problem. Hearing our communities’ reasons for not having the ability to achieve a high school degree will make it easier to understand their situation and will make us come up with a better solution. As a community, we want to do everything in our power to prevent high school kids from dropping out because we know that it will cause consequences for their future. This paper will discuss what are some of the contributing factors as to why students would drop out of high school, as well as some consequences. In the end, this paper will discuss why the community must take action and some possible solutions for combatting the crisis, in which the community is involved. Using leadership skills such as community care and critical hope is crucial for developing a plan of action for a community to take. Community care is understanding that other people’s problems are our problems because we as a society are judged by how we treat the less fortunate in our community. Having critical hope in which we give a beacon of light for success with first understanding where your boat is in the midst of all the fog. By also giving the captain of the boat the right knowledge in steering the boat to the harbor of success in life. The boat which represents a struggling person needs to know that hope cannot just be a beacon of light, but critical hope is understanding other people’s circumstances and having effective means of dealing with their circumstances. One cannot expect people to succeed if the playing field is not the same. Understanding others’ problems and having effective means of helping others is part of being critical when showing good hope.

There are various reasons why students drop out of high school. These reasons range from simple to complex reasons why a student drops out of high school. Dropping out of high school not only affects the individual who has dropped out. Their action will also affect those who surround them. A study done by the U.S. Department of Education showed that students who have multiple abscesses between grades 8 to 12 lead to students have a seven times higher rate of dropping out (NCES). When students do not attend school consistently, they lose important material, which then leads to more work because they now have to learn previous material and whatever currently is being taught. If abscesses are not corrected early, the amount of school work material needed to be learned could increase exponentially, leading to the student being overwhelmed.

Mental illness affects many people in America, but for students during high school, it could be detrimental if the illness is left untreated. It is crucial to signal the problem because adolescence is the most important year of someone’s life because a major decision tends to have major consequences, due to the pressure of opportunities put on students. More often depression in students can be seen as merely someone who is just being moody. The truth is that easy judgment like that tends to not help anyone. The pressure of school and adult responsibilities can overwhelm students, and it is expected of them to move through all of these responsibilities stoically. Overwhelming responsibilities from school, family, and friends can lead to students wanting to escape from all the stress, leading to a drop in academic performance. Not being able to see a clear resolution in their head leads to a decision that they might regret in the future.

In addition to why some studies drop out, a study done by the National Center for Education Statistics found that students with families with low income have the highest rates of dropping out at 9.4% (NCES). Students in these circumstances cannot afford to let their families sink financially, so they have to get a job to support the household income. This means letting go of the school’s responsibility to have a job.

Understanding the difficulties of others is crucial in giving hope to people who are struggling. One cannot give hope to others if the individual does not understand the circumstances in which others come from. Also, knowing the consequences of not finishing high school is important because individuals can have a better understanding of the situation they are in.

High school dropouts have created detrimental consequences in our overall economy. Each year, dropouts cost the United States over 200 billion dollars in lost earnings due to people not making the same amount as people who do end up graduating. The negative impact of high school dropouts worsens the economy every time a student chooses to drop out of school. This epidemic that is increasing has become a vicious cycle that must be put to an end. Studies have shown that one must attain a high school degree to combat poverty. Moreover, studies have also shown that a high school degree is not seen the same now as it was in the past. More often than not, a high school dropout will earn less in a lifetime than an individual who has graduated high school and continued to further their education. Studies have also shown that 90 % of the 11,000 youth in detention facilities have no more than a 9th-grade education. If we were able to as a community mentor young students during elementary and middle school, their chances of dropping out of high school would decrease substantially.

As a community, it is our responsibility to tend to the people who do not have the same amount of resources as the majority. A country that prides itself on being the greatest in the world still has a long way of caring for its oppressed. A country that has a history of denying rights to minorities needs to acknowledge its faults and amend some reparations for its people. Minorities such as blacks and Hispanics have one of the highest rates of dropping out of high school. We as a community need to acknowledge the uneven playing field on which they have to compete. In the era of Sal Castro’s L.A. walkouts of 1968, Hispanic American people were seen as second-class citizens. They were never expected by America at the time to achieve higher education. Sal Castro fought for equal opportunity for Hispanics to achieve higher education. His leadership made his movement successful, and his achievement can be seen in academia today, where we see minorities attending colleges at higher rates than before. We can learn from the Sal Castro leadership style and implement it in helping out the community. In Sal Castro’s walkouts, he had the ability to connect with people emotionally. He motivated a crowd to walk out and protest the injustice that was being done to minorities. His ability to connect to other people was crucial in the development of his movement. The ability to connect to other people and in motivating the masses was also present in Martin Luther King Jr.’s movement. He did not just tell people what to do, but instead, he inspired them. He was articulate in conveying his message.

In the quest of helping out others in our community our people, we do not have to be as articulate as Martin Luther King Jr or generate a movement as big as Sal Castro’s 1968, East L.A. walkouts, but what the community can do is learn their leadership style.

In helping out others it is important in having someone you can look up to. In the 1968 East L.A. walkouts, Sal Castro was responsible for motivating others. His leadership style, which consisted of being a guiding star of hope, can be implemented in the quest in helping in the reduction of high school dropouts. The implementation of a peer-to-peer mentoring program can be one of the most effective and convenient ways of leading someone’s life to success. A mentoring program that consists of a student who is enrolled at Canada College can earn credits for mentoring a student in high school. The program could be supervised by someone who is an expert in counseling. Mentors would provide counseling but would need to approach, with the willingness to listen and understand. They must also show honesty, meaning that they will be able to tell the student the truth, even if it seems to be ugly. Honesty with diplomacy. This does not mean that insensitivity is at play, but in reality, one needs to know the truth before the circumstances to show hope. This concept is found in the literature by Jeff Duncan-Andrade ‘Growing Roses on Concrete’, in which the literature talks about the concept of giving hokey hope. It defines hokey hope as ‘hokey’ because it ignores the laundry list of inequalities that impact the lives of urban youth. One cannot ignore the facts that are presented in inequalities or else the means of achieving that goal could run the risk of being overwhelmed by the inequalities that the individuals must face. That being said mentors need to have the ability to listen to others, first understanding the circumstances in which they are coming from and give advice to them. Then that advice needs to be in line with whatever their circumstances are. This sometimes means that they have to work harder than other students who have more resources than them.

Sometimes a tough conversation may seem like nothing more than a pain, but a tough conversation is critical to the further development of someone’s future. ‘Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters the Most’ by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen says that individuals do not usually look forward to having difficult conversations, but that it is necessary to have them because if not done, individuals run the risk of letting themselves get hurt or others. Needing to say what needs to be said is important because the truth is a value that most people hold in the highest regard.

When the truth is held in high regard in a relationship of mentorship, this consequently creates trust. Trust is one of the best predictors of relationship success, without it we are not connecting with the other individual fully. This is brought up in ‘Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters the Most’, in which Douglas Stone talks about how saying the truth is always the best for the individual. Implementing empathy is needed in understanding others. The golden rule states: “Treat others the same way you want to be treated”. Then, there is the platinum rule, which states: “Treat others the way they want to be treated”. The platinum rule envelops the practice of empathy in that it differs from sympathy. Sympathy does not take as much emotional intelligence as would being empathic. With empathy, you need to practice putting yourself in other’s shoes, which requires more from an individual. Practicing the platinum rule while mentoring capitulates what it means to be an effective leader in someone else’s life.

In conclusion, to help out in eliminating high school dropout rates one first needs to understand where the individual who drops out of high school is coming from. There are many reasons that do not meet the eye, by first understanding, better ways to help to solve issues in our community arise. Knowing the consequences of not finishing a high school degree is also crucial because it paints a well-informed informed future for that student. Coming up with plans of action is now an effective means for eradicating the problem. One of the many ways the community can get involved in helping reduce dropout rates is by becoming a mentor to students in high school who are at the most risk of dropping out. One cannot be just a mentor who says anything that seems inspiring and expects that person to excel. An effective mentor means listening to others first and then coming up with solutions.

Works Cited

1. Catterall, J. S. (1985). On the Social Costs of Dropping Out of Schools. (Report No.86-SEPT-3).
2. Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Center for Educational Research.
3. Hernandez, Sussette. “Impact: High School DropOut”. Alternative Schools Network, https://www.asnchicago.org/hs-drop-out-impact.
4. Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade (2009). Note to Educators: Hope Required When Growing Roses in Concrete. Harvard Educational Review: July 2009, Vol. 79, No. 2, pp. 181-194.
5. “Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Minorities”. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a Part of the U.S. Department of Education, https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/minoritytrends/ind_4_15.asp.
6. “The NCES Fast Facts Tool Provides Quick Answers to Many Education Questions (National Center for Education Statistics)”. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a Part of the U.S. Department of Education, https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=16
7. Stone, D., Patton, B. & Heen, S. (2014). Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most. Leadership Development Studies: A Humanities Approach, (5), 171-175. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil Publishing.

We live in a democratic environment, the main purpose of which is to obtain a better education for all students. These days, it seems like a disgrace for the youth to say they have a great opportunity for education, as the high school dropout rate has risen in a way that is not even easy to control. In previous years, it was likely for men to drop out of high school, but in our days, the scale is opposing that statement, both sexes are likely to experience the same. According to my view of society, it has come to my attention that high school dropouts are experienced in all countries in the educational system. Many researchers have conducted some studies to explore the reasons why learners drop out of school before obtaining their matric certificate. So, in this essay, I want to consider some of them.

Family conflicts are one of the factors contributing to students dropping out of high school. When parents work hand in hand in assisting their young ones concerning the issue of education, it creates positive results when it comes to the learners that are found in that household. Parents who are always fighting or having conflicts in front of their children don’t get enough time to be involved in their child’s school work, which mostly leads to the dropout of the learners. Some researchers have also emphasized that such an issue is more likely due to the issue of gender-based violence, for instance in South Africa. Some parents have a negative attitude when it comes to education, they neglect it a lot, so they never mind what they are doing in front of the children and how much it can affect the child’s mental health. Makwinja-Morara (2007) indicated that parents of dropouts showed little involvement in the academic and/or non-academic affairs of their children. Masitsa (2006) cited inadequate parental support as a frequent cause of learner dropouts.

Teenage pregnancy also plays an important role in why students drop out of high school. During the adolescent years, most teenagers often get pregnant. Being a teenage mother is not an easy thing since firstly it becomes discrimination in public, school, and even at home, then the young person becomes under pressure that leads her to drop out of school. At some point when someone experiences the gestation period, they frequently become absent from school due to some complications that most pregnant women experience, and this leads to eventual school dropouts.

Socioeconomic status is a significant predictor of student performance at school, besides the other school, peer, and student factors. Parental education also has effects on student academic performance, while parental occupation has little effect on their child’s performance in studies than their education, so if a parent lacks all of what I have mentioned above, it is more likely for a learner to drop out of the school (Mweti, 2013). Students’ gender strongly affects their academic performance, with girls performing better in subjects of mathematics and English as while as cumulatively (Mweti, 2013). The low income of parents is a first-rate obstacle to instructional achievement and improvement on the part of scholars. Students’ academic overall performance can be predicted through a series of social-monetary elements resident in parents, circle of relatives, and community. The above-mentioned can cause stress, which could result in a person figuring out to go away from high school.

Substance abuse is the involvement of someone in drugs, so if a learner decides to involve him or herself in drugs, he or she is most likely to experience the issue of dropping out of high school. Many people between the puberty stage experience a lot of things, which also include substance ingestion, which leads to a high level of dropout when people are at the high school level. In most cases, school content needs someone who is motivated enough to tackle the school content in order to achieve the best results, while substance abuse inhibits that content, which stimulates the motive from the brain and results in poor performance, which ultimately lead to dropping out of the school.

And the last and most important factor contributing to students dropping out of high school is peer pressure. Some learners lack the fact that they are not coming from the same background, which results in someone wanting something that he or she cannot afford, which then leads to the pressure that causes anxiety and depression, and seeing yourself not being able to afford some stuff that your peers afford, and that can lead to dropping out of school. The findings of the study conducted by Jordan, Lara, and McPartland (1996) in the United States of America indicated that the influence of peers is the cause of school dropout because these children are dependent on their peer groups and adhere to the group’s deviant norms. In some schools, learners just suggest that a particular thing can be wise when everyone takes it, for example, substance abuse, due to peers some learners find themselves in trouble or in a position of dropping out of school for something that they could have prevented.

In conclusion, the answer to the question of why students still drop out of high school can be different. The most important factors, however, are family conflicts, teenage pregnancy, socioeconomic factors, substance abuse, and of course peer pressure.

From a historical point of view, early school leaving is an important theme in our societies. Indeed, although there are prevention campaigns against dropping out, some studies highlight the fact that school dropout rates have increased (Bong & Skaalvik, 2003). Societies are changing, children’s compulsory schooling has been extended, and full employment is no longer available. All these elements make school dropout an important issue from now on.

To begin with, it is obvious but important to note that dropping out of school is a potentially traumatic event for an individual. But this is also the case for the family. Several studies show that dropping out of school has economic or health consequences (Doll, Eslami & Walters, 2013). At this point in time, we can ask ourselves if dropping out of school is a cause or a consequence. Well, some studies tend to show that school dropout is clearly influenced by social conditions, the environment in which the individual lives, but also the political context (Wood and al., 2017). This does not mean that the context fully explains the dropout, but it contributes to it. It is impossible to deny that there are also academic factors that have an impact on the decision to stop school. It is already clear that early school leaving is a slow process whose end is the total cessation of classes without obtaining a diploma. In other words, some authors show that repeated and significant stressors can influence this mechanism.

It is interesting to note that some studies show that boys are more concerned about dropping out of school than girls (Tamer, 2014).

School dropout has no cause. There are several factors that can influence dropout. Some factors seem logical to us, such as disinterest in the course in question, and daily problems, but the most significant effect would be that of peers.

Other authors focus on the effect of stress on quitting. Indeed, a student’s repeated confrontation with stress could lead to dropping out (Samuel & Burger, 2019). Stress can also be manifested in many events.

In response to this, an essential element that can prevent school dropout is social support. There are two types of social support. The one perceived and the one received. This is important because the individual will receive some help that is not the same as the support of fact. Although it is not fully known if this has an effect on dropping out, it is still important because it provides clues as to the origin of the intention to drop out of school.

Say Linda drops out in tenth grade she has to work her whole life in whatever job she can find. It wouldn’t be easy work either it would be hard labor. So, thirty years go by and she has carpal tunnel and her arms are weaker. She can’t stop working because she will be homeless. 10 years later her arms give out She’s living in an old person’s home that her kids decided would be best for her. She is now 101 living in the same retirement home. She told me her meals have been the same 7 meals the past 20 years of her life. I tell myself I don’t want to go that path every day.

As a dropout student, you will find it hard to get a decent job. Most jobs require at least a high school diploma. Cameron says, ‘I’ve put many applications with no return phone call. This proves dropping out can cause getting a job to be difficult. The thing is in this generation we are so addicted to instant gratification that we don’t plan for the future. Dropping out can also lead to things like hard drugs and addiction. This can lead to becoming homeless as well as starving. Dropout students go through a lot of bullying because people don’t want to see someone who could finish high school win. It seems like the labels they earn are some of the worst, such as dirty, loser, low life, and worst of all less of a person.

Are you contemplating dropping out of high school? Well here are some things you’ll want to know before deciding. If you drop out, you can only hope for a job above minimum wage. If you decide to finish high school, you could go to college and get a degree. Once you have a degree you can get a job making good money. Once you get this job you may not love it. You may spend your life doing something the system planned for you. Therefore, your college trip was regretful because money doesn’t create happiness. Make a wise decision to ensure your happiness in the future.

Dropping out of high school really isn’t the best option. It creates so many life problems that are really unnecessary. I see so many people on a day-to-day basis who have dropped out. Many seem depressed and anxious, and others seem like nothing is wrong at all: maybe those ones are just really good at hiding it. You have to realize people who drop out aren’t planning on success. The only way to become successful if you drop out is either luck or to become famous. Just go to school, don’t ditch your classes for something in the future when it’s in the past.

Dedicate time to your education if you want to graduate. you have to want to do it yourself. Respect the knowledge and learn. Do you want to spend your life in the trash? You want to be successful, sit in class, and pay attention. Learn self-control and how to work in a structured environment. Most jobs are very structured and follow a tight schedule, much like school. If you go through school, you can follow your dreams after you succeed in life as a member of the government’s workforce.