Students at Risk

According to a report titled the silent epidemic written by John M. Bridgeland, John J. DiIulio, Jr., and Karen Burke Morison on the Perspectives of High School Dropouts which was championed by the Civic Enterprises, in association with Peter D. Hart Research Associates for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, reported that there is no single reason why students drop out of high school. Respondents from the various research conducted asserted that students drop out of school for different reasons including: the lack of connection to their school environment, feeling unmotivated for education, academic challenges, the perception that school is boring, and the too much attraction to real world events.

Further, the dropout rate from high school in the United States has reached nearly 1 million students per year which has caused immense personal, communal, and societal ramifications. Today, an increased levels of education are necessary for success because more than 70% of the jobs now require four years of high school. At the same time, those students who drop out before achieving a high school diploma are at an increased risk for a variety of problems in later life.

 (Carnahan, 1994), emphasized that much has already been said and written about the characteristics of high school dropouts and students who are at risk of dropping out of high school. Despite these disturbing facts, significant numbers of such students remain at risk of leaving school prematurely. (Natriello et al., 1990), listed the important factors responsible for students dropping out of school early which includes: (a) poverty, (b) race or ethnicity, (c) family configuration, (d) parental education, and (e) limited proficiency in English

Ekstrom, Goertz, Pollack, and Rock (1986) reported that socio-economic status (SES) amounts to 25% of dropouts compared with 13% and 8% for those in middle and high SES settings respectively. Natriello et al. (1990) also noted that, because poverty is the leading cause of SES among African American and Hispanic families, it is therefore factual that ethnicity is clearly related to drop-out rate since about 66% of predominantly African American and Hispanic student body failed to graduate from high school (Fine, 986). Besides, factors like “broken” families or less well-educated parents do contributes to the higher drop-out rates according to (Carnahan, 1994; Ekstrom et al., 1986; Rumberger, 1983). Therefore, young people leaving school prematurely may be associated with a vicious circle of Poverty, race or ethnicity, parental education, and family configuration, especially among minority groups.

Thus, the problem facing high school education in the United States therefore is to be able to identify ways to prevent students that may be at risk from dropping out of school, such as the lost dropouts, incarcerated and at-risk youth, as well as deprived refugees not able to get along with society’s demands. Many of the contributing factors to the drop-out rate existed at societal levels, where sometimes the wheel of society grinds very slowly. Therefore, much of the growing number of successful efforts made to alter these problems appear to produce Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs focusing on changes at the more local levels of their personal experiences of high school. However, a lot of intervention skills have been attempted to change the way students perceive their societal experiences, their attitudes and affiliations towards academic work in general, and to their teachers and peer influences.

It is for these aforesaid causes that Testimony at Triumphant Community International (TTCI), dedicated to transforming lives through education, advocacy, and support for vulnerable populations, including lost dropouts, at-risk youth, and deprived refugees. Our mission is to empower individuals with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed. Whether you’re here to learn more about our work or to make a difference by donating, we’re glad you’ve joined us in connecting the dots toward a better future.

Fine, M. (1987). Why do urban adolescents drop into and out of public high schools. In G. Natriello  (Ed.), School Dropouts: Patterns and Policies (p.89-105). New York: Teachers College Press.

Natriello, G., McDill, E.L., & Pallas, A.M. (1990). Schooling Disadvantaged Children: Racing Against Catastrophe. New York: Teachers College Press.

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