US Education - Nearly 1/3 of US HS students will dropout

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the high dropout rates among U.S. high school students, exploring the implications for the workforce, societal attitudes, and educational trends. Participants share personal observations, statistics, and opinions on the state of education and its impact on the economy and future generations.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that dropout rates have been a persistent issue, with one mentioning a local school with a 60% dropout rate, although improvements have been observed.
  • One participant references a study indicating that a significant percentage of dropouts are minorities, particularly Hispanic students, and suggests that this trend may have worsened since the study period.
  • Another participant argues that while dropout rates among Hispanics have decreased, the rates for white students have increased, indicating a complex trend in dropout statistics.
  • Concerns are raised about the lack of blue-collar job opportunities, with some suggesting that the available jobs do not provide a sustainable living.
  • One participant expresses a lack of loyalty to the U.S. due to perceived declines in education and societal values, suggesting a desire to relocate to another country.
  • Another participant challenges the negative view of the U.S. by pointing out historical cycles of good and bad times, suggesting that current challenges do not define the overall situation.
  • There is a discussion about the implications of knowledge-based economies and the declining production capacity of the U.S. compared to rapidly developing countries like China and India.
  • Some participants speculate on the long-term viability of China and India as competitors, questioning their ability to maintain growth amidst potential internal challenges.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the dropout crisis and its implications, with no clear consensus on the causes or solutions. Disagreements arise regarding the interpretation of statistics and the broader societal implications of dropout rates.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include varying definitions of dropout rates, the impact of socio-economic factors, and the reliance on potentially outdated studies. Participants also express differing opinions on the future of education and job markets.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to educators, policymakers, sociologists, and anyone concerned with the state of education and workforce development in the U.S.

  • #31
Pengwuino said:
... I mean if you consider the fact that people sue the government by even vaguely promoting some "way of life", what chance does forcing kids into indoctrination sessions have of making it?

Political Will will cut through this, can people really sue the gov't for this ? Maybe we should produce more lawyers instead.

Of course every individual has different abilities, not all will become top notch scientists, however there would be enough technicians so that labor competion will increase and leads to lower salary demands, which then lowers labor cost for companies thus job outsourcing will be lessened.

dsky
finally let's share love with one another
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
What Makes a Good High School?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5372097

Weekend Edition Sunday, April 30, 2006 · How can U.S. high schools do a better job? A new study identifies key characteristics of high schools that work. And at Granger High in Washington state, the principal demands high standards for students and staff.
An example of a solution. It has to be accomplished on the local level, not by mandates from the Federal government.
 
  • #33
Astronuc said:
What Makes a Good High School?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5372097

An example of a solution. It has to be accomplished on the local level, not by mandates from the Federal government.


The US mantra, and the core reason why US education is the way it is. Local communities are dominated by wallet minded voters who have no motivation to spend on improving education, as opposed to behavior of students in schools.
 
  • #34
selfAdjoint said:
The US mantra, and the core reason why US education is the way it is. Local communities are dominated by wallet minded voters who have no motivation to spend on improving education, as opposed to behavior of students in schools.
Education is a certainly complicated issue.

Effective education require not only effective teaching, but students who are willing and wanting to learn.

Student behavior is a significant issue. Many students come to school with problems from home or community. Some are abused, and others witness the abuse of family members. Others are ashamed because of their economic status. How can a student learn, when trying to deal with that?

Other students have learning difficulties and in some cases physiological/psychological issues that interfere with the learning process. Yet they are expected to learn along side other students who do not have these challenges!

One size does not fit all.

I was providing one example of one principal and a group of teachers who are trying to make a difference, instead of giving up.