Drop Outs: Risk Factors

According to statistics, “Only 75% of high school freshman end up graduating from high school in four years” (Course Content, Week 9). Dropping may be because of many well-known reasons; however, there are two reasons (risk factors) that in my opinion are the strongest and sum up the ‘sub-factors.’

First, the risk factor of coming from a family with lower SES levels makes the thought of dropping out much easier. Coming from a family who has faced poverty, may make it difficult for the adolescent to attend school to begin with. Referring to the beginning of the course, lower SES levels make an impact not only within the house hold, but also on the individuals, adolescents especially. Lower SES levels may cause the family to live in lower income housing which is most likely not in a good part of town and/or in bad condition. Already struggling financially, it will be harder for the parent(s) to provide healthy nutrition. Now, the adolescent is living in an unsafe or unsanitary environment, doesn’t get the proper vitamins and minerals needed through food, and the child becomes ill. With that in mind, lower SES levels may also mean they do not have health insurance; therefore, do not have access to medical treatment. If the adolescent is always sick, he/she will miss many days of school and may end up getting held back a grade. If this is the case, this will lower the adolescent’s self-esteem and may discourage them. 

Second, having low school achievement is another risk factor that may seem as one of the strongest. Some children don’t learn as fast as others and are technically behind on their school’s curriculum. This may be because their parents are working when it comes time to do homework and the adolescent is not getting the proper help or guidance after school. If no one is home when the adolescent gets home from school, the adolescent is left with no direction and ends up just doing what they want. Some cases, this may be homework, in others, this may be going outdoors and not returning until late. Now, the adolescent doesn’t complete their homework/studying, which leads to poor grades, this discourages them and school is no longer a priority. 

In order to prevent drop out rates, these risks have to be addressed. Focusing on the two risk factors I mentioned, there’s really nothing concrete that can be done within the family because it’s how the adolescent has been raised. However, the community and school could get involved and form homework groups during after school hours. If this could occur, the students could get the proper help with their homework after school. This could improve grades, the student’s self esteem, and encourage students that they can complete school. This will also help lower the crime rate because more adolescents will be off the street and in books instead.