It is now possible to identify who among 3rd-, 6th-, and 9th-grade students will likely drop out of high school unless ongoing interventions occur. We can turn these school-based early warning systems into appropriate supports within our schools and communities. We can identify problems early and address them before students become dropout statistics.

Why do they drop out?

• Nearly 70 percent of dropouts said they were not motivated to work hard, and
two-thirds would have worked harder if more had been demanded of them.

• Approximately one-third left for personal reasons (to get a job, become a
parent, or care for a family member), and one-third cited “failing in school”
as a major factor.

• More than 80 percent said their chances of staying in school would have
increased if classes were more interesting and provided opportunities for
real-world learning.

• Four out of five wanted better teachers, and 75% wanted smaller classes with
more individualized instruction. 14

•Contrary to what you might expect, 70 percent were confident they could
have graduated, including a majority with low GPAs.

What will help students stay on the graduation path
We know from experience and research that students need constant, ongoing
support to get back and stay on the graduation path. Parents also need information
and supports to help their children stay on track and graduate. There is
no “quick cure” or vaccination. Attendance, behavior and course-performance
(the ABCs of dropout prevention) are the first symptoms of trouble that we
are able to influence, and we should concentrate our first efforts there.

Interventions and reforms that have proven successful
We now are discovering which measures show solid evidence of success, and
researchers are testing and evaluating other potentially effective approaches. Most
promising are efforts that combine more personalized education with enhanced
academic supports and college and career ready curricula.
Wraparound supports from families and communities can also play a critical role.
These include supplying adult advocates for children, parent engagement strategies,
individualized graduation plans, and additional supports for struggling
students. It is also significant that many of the solutions students themselves
suggest are the very ones research says work.