How to Improve High School Graduation Rates

When students earn their high school diplomas, they are better qualified to get good jobs or pursue secondary education.  Students drop out of high school for many different reasons including financial hardship, lack of support, bullying, or poor academic performance.

• Reflect on the reasons why students drop out of high school.  There are usually several contributing factors as to why students drop out.  Current laws require schools to test students in reading and math.  When a school’s average scores fall below standards, there are negative repercussions to the school, especially regarding funding.  This is a heated debate amongst lawmakers and education administrators alike.  Penalties, like withholding funding increases the problem by taking even more resources needed by the failing school district.  The teachers do not wish to dissuade certain students from taking the standardized tests, but they also know which students will score low, thereby decreasing the entire schools average.


• Talk to students who have dropped out to gain a perspective about their experiences.  Some students feel they are not being challenged or that the classes move too slow, others believe the classes are too difficult, therefore once behind in the material, the student loses confidence that he can catch up.


• Promote higher graduate rates by making online high schools accessible to all students, especially those at risk for dropping out.  Many students say that if they could avoid being the victim of a bully that they would consider staying in school.  Many students say that if school were considered “cool” they would not succumb to peer pressures to drop out.