Sixteen-year-old Jason decided not to return to high school for his junior year. Jason is one of approximately 1.2 million American students who drop out of high school each year.

Some think dropping out is a matter of individual choice, but others point out that it is a persistent problem with enormous consequences for the student’s future and for society. High school dropouts are more likely to be unemployed or incarcerated. In fact, eight of ten prisoners are high school dropouts. Dropouts who do get jobs typically earn less than graduates and are twice as likely to find themselves in poverty. Once students who drop out realize the consequences, many are reluctant to return because they think it’s too late.

Young people drop out of high school for a variety of reasons. Students who are failing, missing many days of school, or having trouble getting along with their classmates and teachers are at a high risk for dropping out. Some high school dropouts say school is too boring, and they don’t see any relevance of school to their future. Students from low-income families may leave school to work to earn money for their families. Others quit because they feel that, no matter how hard they try, the academic standards are too high for them to reach.

While some adults think students drop out because they lack integrity or are not willing to do challenging schoolwork, many people think differently. Some say that high school is the problem, not teenagers. They have some suggestions about how to decrease the dropout rate by making changes to the structure of high school schedules. One option would be to start the school day later so teens can get enough sleep without being late for school and missing classes. Alternatively, the schoolday could end earlier to give teenagers time for a part-time job after school – the half-school, half-work model. A third option would be to model high school after college, allowing students to choose their own classes and schedules.

Others think the problem is not the structure of high school schedules. They point to factors outside of school that are associated with students dropping out, such as gangs, drugs, and the lack of support at home. These people are convinced that providing students with more individual attention, counseling, and information on the consequences of dropping out would help. They also think that schools should stay in touch with parents or guardians to make sure students are supported at home, as well as in school.

What do you think? Do teens need to do more to meet the demands of high school? Or should schools do more to prevent students from dropping out? And if you think schools should do more, what do you think is more likely to convince teens to stay in school? Should the structure of high school schedules be changed or should students be provided with more support?