EVERY YEAR, CLOSE TO ONE-THIRD OF EIGHTEEN YEAR OLDS do not finish high school. The dropout rates for minority students, students from low-income families, and disabled students are even higher. This is not just a problem affecting certain individuals and schools; it is a community-wide problem that affects everyone. High school dropouts commit about 75 percent of crimes in the United States and are much more likely to be on public assistance than those who complete high school. The cost to the public for these crime and welfare benefits is close to $200 billion annually. Dropouts earn only about 60 percent of what high school graduates earn and only about 40 percent of the income of college degree holders – resulting in about $50 billion dollars in lost state and federal tax revenues each year. Dropouts are much more likely to have health problems than non-dropouts. A 1% increase in high school completion rate would save the United States $1.4 billion annually in health care costs.

Here’s the Discussion Question along with the Video:

Discussion Question: In your opinion is it the responsibility of the government at the state, federal and national levels or the parents to ensure that children in America receives a good quality education, so they can be productive, instead of counter-productive members of society? Or should the blame for this colossus failure be shared among the two groups? Why or Why Not?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dropout-nation/

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