The phenomenon of students dropping out of high school has recently gained renewed attention, with teachers researchers and policy makers wanting to know how many students are dropping out, what causes dropout, and what maybe done to prevent it (Brdigeland, Deluulio, and Morison 2006; Heckman and La Foutaine 2007; Orfield 2004;). Leaving high school before receiving a diploma often represents a culminating event in a long-term process of disengagement from formal education (Alexander, Entuisle, and Kabbani 2001; Finn 1989).
One important aspect of the school environment is the formal curriculum the set of causes taken by a student. Career and Technical Education. Some have argued that CTE offers a much needed point of attachment and demonstrates the relevance of schooling for many youths. So, many tend to dropout because they wouldn’t want to let career and vocational education go hand in hand.
A Wed of sociological, psychological, economics, and institutional factors that contribute to students leaving high school before they receive a diploma (Allensworth 2004; Frie 1991; Orfield 2004) Studies have shown that the consequences of dropping out are dramatic and costly for both individuals and society. The negative outcomes associated with dropping out include a higher likelihood of unemployment, a greater chance of living below the poverty line and relying on public assistance, more frequent and severe health problems and increased criminal activity (Educational Testing Service 1995; Mishel and Bernstein 1994; National Research Council, NRC, 1993; Rumberger 1947)
Rumberger 2001 reported that despite a long-term upward trend in high school completion in the United States, approximately 5% of all high school students dropout of school in any given year. Kluman and Raroly (1994) estimated that 37% of a national sample of young men aged 14-21 in 1979 quit high school for at least 3 months before they complete high school.
Finn (1989( offered two social psychological perspectives to explain dropping out. One, following a frustration-self-esteem model, he posted that a record of poor performance would cause students question their competence and weaken their attachment to school; at the extreme, this lead to dropping out.
Following a participation-identification model, he pointed that positive experiences encourage a sense of belonging and thus strengthen attachment to strengthen attachment to school. Rumberger (2004) drew on both individual and institutional perspectives to understood decision to quit school.
Thus, the individual perspective focuses on a students’ values, attitudes and behaviors and considers dropping out to be the final stage.
Research has noted the difficulty of the ninth-grade transition for many students and its connection to dropping out (Neild and Farley 2004; Roderick and Camburn 1999)
As one example of such an enquiry, Sweanson and Schoilder (1999) found that the effects of change of residence and change of schools play a big role. Another one is the incompatibility that comes with being “off-time” or older than one’s classmates as a significant strain that can lead to dropping out (Enstaieste, Alexander and Olson 2004) etc.
This is so because there a likelihood that students who enter high school old for grade may carry so many risk factors and academics deficiencies that any potential benefits of a particular curricular program.
A very modest solution to all these complexities of students’ dropping out is a through review of the curriculum and students standing in a stage he is in.
Background check on the economics and sociological standing of every student. Being practiced now in high school is the school-parent communicative program to monitor the attendance and well-being of each and every student.
In so doing, it always be in the minds of educators and parents that supreme steps to cut off absences of students be enhanced because as a student spends any time away from school, the more the chance not to complete or to drop school.
By: Lolita P. Manuntag | Teacher II | Morong National High School | Morong, Bataan
