U.S. Girl Dropout Crisis

One in four girls in America do not finish high school, and the dropout rate is even higher for girls of color. National Women’s Law Center

Background

Girls are overlooked when it comes to tracking the school dropout crisis in cities and towns across our country. Overlooking the problems that threaten the education of girls makes this crisis far more critical. Even though every state, even individual schools, counts dropout rates differently, estimates show the nationwide toll of dropping out:

• 50% Native American girls
• 4-in-10 black female students
• nearly 4-in-10 Latinas

Absenteeism, often triggered by feeling unsafe at school, can lead to dropping out completely.

Pregnancy is also a major cause for leaving school: 3-in-10 young women in the United States will become pregnant before the age of 20, a rate higher than any other developed country. Many girls who are expecting, as well as those who are already mothers, face discrimination by school administrators, teachers, and fellow students. Becoming a parent is given as a primary factor for not continuing high school among nearly 50% of all female dropouts, versus one-third of male dropouts. The research on this crisis is woefully inadequate.

Success Story

The Hermanitas mentoring program is respectful of language and culture while, at the same time, encourages young Latinas to overcome many of the stereotypes and obstacles. This program of MANA, according to the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy, shows strong outcomes in preventing pregnancy and increasing high school graduation rates.

Call to Action

Learn More

• BoostUp.org High School Dropout Prevention PSAs
  • Reagan
  • Ativa
  • Tatiana
  • Melanie
  • Jeanine
  • Sabrina
• High School Drop Outs
• A “STAND UP for Education”

• BoostUp: Get a boost, give a boost, find more facts about the high school drop out crisis.
• National Coalition for Women & Girls in Education: Major national organizations fighting for gender equality in education many of which have state chapters
• National Dropout Prevention Center: Find out where your state ranks, although dropout rates are not always divided between gender and race
• Effective dropout prevention programs

• National Women’s Law Center Resources
  • Federal law requiring gender education equality (PDF)
  • When Girls Don’t Graduate, We All Fail
  • Listening to Latinas: Barriers to High School Graduation

• STAND UP: Working to ensure every American gets to attend a quality public school.
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report on female dropout earnings
• U.S. dropout rate in contrast to other rich, developed countries and to less-developed countries

Inform Others

• Talk to your friends about high school and dropping out– do they ever think about leaving school? What keeps you coming to school, and what makes you want to leave?
• Start a club in your school dedicated to working with your peers and school administrators, to create better ways to encourage students to stay in school.
• Create a survey at your school to find out what students identify as reasons for the dropout crisis.  Check out a sample survey designed by Girls For Gender Equity that focuses on sexual harassment and lack of a safe school environment which are reasons for absenteeism and dropping out.  These students collected surveys from over 10,000 students throughout their school district and continue to demand change from school authorities.

Create Change

• Every school that receives money from the U.S. government must designate one employee to be the Title IX Coordinator to be responsible that the school does not violate this federal law that tolerates no discrimination on the basis of gender. Do you know who this person is and do you think most students in your school know? If not, speak up!
• Many school districts boast that students are at the table and have input in school policies. Do you sense youth have a voice and are listened too, especially those female students who are struggling to stay in school? If not, form a group and demand to have a role in decisions to address the girl dropout crisis.
• There are tons of local laws and levies designed to support programs that prevent dropout and encourage reentry. A major one on the federal level is the High School Graduation Initiative. Knowing about these programs and defending the funds that make them possible is critical. Levies are often put up to a vote asking taxpayers if they still wish to pay them. Sometimes they are as tiny as $17 per household and do amazing things like fund community tutoring programs for low-income and at-risk students. Make your views known to your local school board.
• Check out a new proposal that would strengthen the federal education law to stop stigmatization and discrimination by letting your U.S. Representative know where you stand on HR 2617,  Pregnant and Parenting Student Access to Education Act . Write your Representative a letter on a fake high school diploma to grab their attention!