How Dropouts and the Achievement Gap Hurt the Economy

Reader Comments
Back to blog

The problems of society are being blamed on teachers.Teachers however have no control over the readiness of children to learn. Children often do not come to school regularly. Many come to school too tired to learn either form working or from being in enviroments that will not allow them to sleep. Children often move from parent to parent and from school to school. Discipline is not enforced by adminstrators as it should be. Many classrooms are overcrowded to save money. Students are not held accountable for the stardardized test. Many don't put out much effort because it really does not matter to them. All of these factors affect a student's performance and are out of control of the teachers. It is time to stop making teachers the scapegoat for our social ills.

Hal Ashe of TN 3:41PM August 18, 2009

We have insisted that everyone be prepared for college and as a result we have bothe a huge drop-out problem and a chronic severe shortage of skilled workers. There should be two tracks, in high schoola nd in community colleges.

Peter H. Christiansen of CA 11:22PM May 11, 2009

There’s not much chance for American graduation rates to improve significantly as long as it is near to impossible to fire incompetent teachers because of their unions.

JW of TX 11:08AM May 11, 2009

The high dropout rate is an indicator of poor economic performance. It shows how labor resources are not generating the economic value they could, if they were properly trained and better integrated into the economy. Far from being an individual problem, it limits our collective economic potential as a nation.
But more troubling is that this shows how poorly our capitalist system values and cultivates human capital, the most profitable economic resource at our disposal. As I have written many times, this is yet further proof that our current economic system has, at its core, certain dehumanizing elements, such that our society's view on employment, training, education, but also human factors, such as health care and retirment, is not geared toward the benefit of humans, but ultimately corporations. This not only results in a poor distribution of wealth, but results in MUCH LOWER PROFITS FOR CORPORATIONS than if we considered an approach that better cultivates and utilizes human capital.

AgentG of TX 10:18PM May 09, 2009

Im a university student in NZ and most of my highschool class grduated with the exception of the few. Then again I know some people who didnt finish high school and are doing well for themselves. Trades for example- I wouldnt say education is the be all and end all. Some degrees are a waste of time. Im in the medical field but I definetly dont think we need everyone to be educated right through. Some people are better with practical skills. I dont think people should dropout and sit on benefits- which is a problem in some parts of New Zealand however, but if you have a good alternative I say go for it! I know a guy who manages companies and is a top exective but dropped outa uni. I also know an amazing designer who dropped out after 5th form and a friend in IT who didnt get past 5th form. Lets think beyond the stats for a moment.!

Lisa 4:05AM May 08, 2009

Social programs pose one of the most significant threats to increased graduation rates from public schools. Simple solution, if your children are receiving public assistance, they need to graduate. If not, it will cost you money. Its a social issue. We pay more people to do nothing in the U.S. than any other country on earth. Schools are not the problem and yes parents are a very important part in the equation. There should be no incentive to do nothing if one is able. If one receives public assistance they should be held accountable.

Mark Litton of LA 4:02PM May 06, 2009

Children need to earn a high school diploma. Some children/young adults will benefit from an alternative setting in order to achieve this end. It is a more than reasonable goal for every family in the U.S. to support.
I am not clear on specific reasons that the drop out rate hurts the economy. I understand that a drop out is extremely likely to earn less income. It does not automatically follow that there will be less consumption or investment. We need more accurate methods in order to determine income level vs. spending. We also need to be more exact when we discuss employment opportunities.
I do recognize a path to criminal activity and a high drop out rate. That is a statistic that would get my attention.

Steve of MO 1:26PM May 06, 2009

It's all starts with the Family. When homes break down, this is what happens. The traditional home is broken. Everybody sees this and knows this, but no-one is saying it...What's even worse then this, is that everyone knows why, but just keeps to themsleves. Nice.

Greg of IL 10:07AM May 06, 2009

I am always amazed at how much money is devoted to researching why schools fail. It's not the schools that are failing, it's American families that are failing. Why are we so bent on placing the blame on the educational system when the fault is on our parenting skills? Because it's sooo much harder to fix? Solid family units that place a premium on education are rare these days. Anyone with common sense can see that most children are from broken homes with parents who have drug or alcohol abuse problems. Bottom line: students with familial support systems in place are going to be the graduating demographic. The students who have parents or guardians that make sure they get to school and study are the ones who will graduate. Maybe we could put research money into incentives for good parenting.

Briget Price of NM 11:07AM May 05, 2009

Our complacency towards our failing educational system seems to never stop growing. We the parents hear this continuig bad news about our schools but we only shrug our shoulders look blank and ask "What can we do?". We demand little from those who make the decisions about education, we continue to reelect school board members who have failed us miserably and put no pressure on unelected officials who continue to make unwise decisions.We don't demand studies of the numerous education systems from other countries which are far ahead of us and we don't demand instituting successful parts of these systems which could help us climb out of the hole we've dug for ourselves. We don't demand alternatives to school curiculums which would prepare those who don't or can't go to college who then go on to drop out. So the system which is us has to support them one way or the other (welfare, prison, homelessness or increased mental problems). We worry about the deficit the government is leaving our children but what about the costs in the future for our failure to demand common sense and already proven programs which will help us to compete with the rest of the world in the future!

Curtis Gwin Jr of WA 2:25AM May 04, 2009