Teen Dropout Risk Factors

Family issues include but are not limited to abuse, unstable environments, and pressure to drop out and contribute to the household. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, factors such as “poverty, welfare dependence, absent parents, single-parent families, unwed mothers, and parents who have not completed high school… are more likely than children without these risk factors to drop out of school” (Students at Risk 1). What is most dangerous is the combination of these risk factors, ultimately leading to high school dropouts. Poverty is the underlying cause of most of these issues. Parents may be absent because they are too busy working to support a family, and similarly, single-parent families become a problem when the financial burden lies entirely on that one parent. This creates pressure for the high school student to contribute to the household, potentially making the student drop out. Additionally, “children who are poor are more likely to be starving, subject to frequent illnesses, and generally much less ready for learning” (Students at Risk 1). Thus children of poverty face a combination of risk factors: poverty causes students to be hungry and unmotivated to complete school, while also facing the pressure at home to contribute financially. If the parents also have not completed high school or gone to college, they act as role models for their children, so this can be further justification for dropping out. Unfortunately, this will continue the cycle of poverty, as teens without a high school diploma make significantly less income, and their children will face the same difficulties, along with being more at risk for drug abuse.

Drug use is a problem that affects the whole society, but it is particularly harmful to teenagers. As noted above, poverty also makes it increasingly likely for teens to indulge in drug use, especially if their parents or peers are users. According to data compiled in the Students at Risk article, “students who had plans to complete four years of college had a much lower annual prevalence of illegal drug use than students who had no college plans or plans for attending less than four years of college” (Students at Risk 21). Students who do not plan on attending college (and are in peer groups where that is the norm) are at much higher risk for dropping out of school. Thus, it is clear that there is a correlation between drug use and dropping out. This is most likely due to drugs impairing a student’s ability to perform and stay motivated in school, causing feelings of low self-esteem and a lack of investment in studies. Marijuana is cited as causing “short-term memory loss, lung damage, adverse effects on reproductive function, suppression of the immune system, apathy, impairment of judgment, and loss of interest in personal appearance and pursuit of goals” (Students at Risk 94). All of these can result in poor decisions that lead to a life of poverty, or trapped in an unwanted situation like a teenage pregnancy.

Another major factor in dropout rates are teen pregnancies. “Pregnancy is also the number one reason girls drop out of school. Research shows that 3 out of 10 girls will be pregnant at least once before they turn 20,” showing that it is a problem that needs to be addressed (Varlas 1). Female dropout rates are sometimes downplayed, as male dropout rates are almost always significantly higher (Students at Risk 3) and the complications that stem from dropping out hit males harder (i.e. lack of income, drug use). What makes teen pregnancy so difficult to handle is the scheduling conflicts it presents with education – “Lack of transportation and child care, extended absences and other scheduling conflicts, juggling school work and parenting responsibilities, and discrimination from school faculty create barriers to teen parents’ success in school” (Varlas 1). With these responsibilities, in addition to schoolwork, outside life, and the college application process, many of these pregnant teens or new parents decide to drop out to focus on their child’s future.

However, despite the evidence showing that outside factors are often to blame, students must take some responsibility themselves. School administrator Franklin Schragel recently said just that; “The students themselves… make the wrong decisions… Many have a poor school attitude and are frequently bored by school” (Schragel). In this situation, it seems appropriate to say that the students deserve some of the blame. Schools can certainly create better outreach programs to help pregnant or drug addicted teens, but if they don’t want to be helped, there may be nothing anyone can do. Still, even Schragel admits that outside factors such as the family situation and individual schools can account for dropout rates, “Where schools are low-performing, they often lack community and health support,” (Schragel) meaning they lack funding necessary to provide these extra services to prevent dropouts. While Schragel makes an interesting argument, and students must take some responsibility, it is telling that even he places a lot of emphasis on these outside factors.

Hopefully with a more severe look at the complications surrounding high school dropouts, America as a society will be able to lower dropout rates, perhaps eliminating them entirely. While some would place blame on the students, throughout this paper there has been ample evidence that students often end up in difficult situations, with neither the necessary family nor school support to find a solution. Family issues, drug use, and teen pregnancies are all major factors in causing dropouts that are not always preventable by the students themselves. The underlying source of all of these factors is poverty, which prevents access to additional resources, both in school or independently, in order to improve their situation. To end the vicious cycle, systemic changes in how public schools are structured in response to low-income students are necessary. It is the only way that they and their children may break free, lead a life of success, and not just become another statistic.

Works Cited

"Introduction to Education and College: Teen Decisions." Education and College. Ed. William Dudley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2003. Teen Decisions. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.

Schargel, Franklin. "The Real Reasons Children Drop Out of School." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 14 Oct. 2013.

"Students at Risk." Education: Meeting America's Needs? Sandra M. Alters. 2008 ed. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Information Plus Reference Series. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.

Varlas, Laura. "Pregnant and Parenting Teens Require Special Support to Stay in School." High School Dropouts. Ed. Judeen Bartos. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue. Rpt. from "Fighting the Female Dropout Phenomenon." Education Update 53.12 (Dec. 2011). Opposing Viewpoints in Context.