Why Should Teens Stay in School?

Early intervention programs can put students on a better economic footing.

Encouraging teenagers to stay in school benefits them for reasons that may not be apparent until they decide to quit. Dropouts fare poorly in the marketplace--especially if they're female--and have trouble in keeping the jobs they do find. Risky behavior, social isolation and greater need for public assistance are just some of the other negative consequences awaiting dropouts when they leave school.

Higher Earning Power

Staying in school benefits where it really counts--in the pocketbook, according to a 2007 study by the Center for Labor Market Studies and the Alternative Schools Network. Dropouts earn roughly $400,000 less over a working lifetime, from ages 18 to 64, than those who do graduate. For men in many large states, the figure is closer to $500,000. There is also a net cost to society because cash assistance, prison confinement costs and in-kind benefits handed to dropouts greatly exceeds their own local, state and federal tax contributions.

Stronger Job Skills

Leaving school early cuts off social connections.

Quitting school for the sake of a job works against dropouts, who miss the chance to continue building marketable skills through education. As educational achievement increase, unemployment rates fall. However, without core skills like communication, math, reading, writing and problem-solving, dropouts have a harder time staying employed, note advocates at the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. A strong body and spirit aren't enough in today's job market, which puts a premium on technical skills. Simply completing an education shows great ambition and self-discipline, which is why dropouts earn lower wages than non-dropouts.

Females Fare Better

The problem of female dropouts has not received as much societal attention.

Failing to graduate has even harsher consequences for women, according to a National Women's Law Center study. Even white and Hispanic-American male dropouts are 1.5 times more likely to have jobs, while one in two female dropouts aged 25 to 64 were unemployed. The stakes of remaining in school are higher for women, the study asserted, since they earn less than men and don't catch up till they earn bachelor's degrees. Women with associate or bachelor's degrees are 1.5 times more likely to be employed than those who dropped out.

Improved Health Habits

Education exerts the strongest effect in promoting good health habits, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Students who finish high school are less likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as being overweight, getting pregnant or taking up smoking. Dropping out of school makes it less likely for early intervention program messages to stick. Education also allows students to build social support networks that ease the stresses of daily life, a resource that dropouts leave with their schooling.

Benefits To Society

Putting downward pressure on dropout rates doesn't only benefit teenagers. Even after two decades of funding cutbacks, several major cities--notably, Chicago, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Portland--posted dramatic re-enrollment gains, according to a 2007 study of dropout earning power done by the Center for Labor Market Studies and the Alternative Schools Network. The average lifetime fiscal benefit approaches $250,000 in combined taxes per graduate, the study says, so repeating these successes on a wider scale is in the national interest.

References

• Alabama State Cooperative Extension: Benefits Of Staying In School
• CNN: "High School Dropout Crisis" Continues In U.S., Study Finds
• Centers For Disease Control: Reframing School Dropout As A Public Health Issue
• National Women's Law Center: When Girls Don't Graduate, We All Fail

Resources

• Alliance For Excellence In Education: High School Dropouts In America
• The Consequences Of Dropping Out Of High School
• The Wall Street Journal: The High School Dropout's Economic Ripple Effect