Each year, more than 1.2 million students drop out of our nation’s public high schools with detrimental consequences to them, our society, our economy and civic life.

Every 29 seconds another student gives up on school, resulting in more than one million American high school students who drop out every year. Nearly one-third of all public high school students—and nearly one half of all African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans—fail to graduate from public high school with their class.

The following information shows certain groups of young people whose members are more likely than others to leave school before graduating.  While not everyone in these categories drops out, paying special attention to the needs of students from these groups can keep some of them in school.

It has been known for many years that young people who don't complete high school face many more problems in later life than do people who graduate.  While national leaders have demanded that schools, communities, and families make a major effort to retain students, the dropout rate remains high.  A report from the Educational Testing Service, One-Third of a Nation: Rising Dropout Rates and Declining Opportunities, warns little is being done to stem rising dropout rates and their economic costs.

Our once unchallenged preeminence in commerce, industry, science, and technological innovation is being overtaken by competitors throughout the world….The educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a nation and a people.