Dropout Rate In Rural America
Despite the sharp decrease in the dropout rate in rural America between the years 1975 and 1993 which essentially closed the gap between the urban and rural dropout rates, over 10 percent of rural students still do not finish high school and have difficulty finding gainful employment (e.g., Paasch & Swaim, 1995). Graduation is an extremely important milestone in the life of an individual as they prepare for adult life (Paasch & Swaim, 1995). For instance, high school graduates have a greater chance of finding employment and making higher incomes (Child Trends, 2014), earning up to $8,000 per year more than a non-graduate (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2015). Also, high school graduates are healthier, less likely to involved in criminal
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Rural America is undergoing fast changes that are overcoming rural-urban location and social boundaries (Lichter & Brown, 2011). Because of this trend, studies have been conducted that show the determinants of dropping out of high school are related to individual and family characteristics, industry structure (e.g., McGranahan, 2004), likelihood of getting a job and school discipline (McCaul, 1988), as well as community and school risk factors (Paasch & Swaim, 1995). Research has brought to light several risk factors that increase the likelihood of dropping out (Ashtone and McLanahan). For example, youths from families with wages below poverty, with poorly educated parents, or led by single mothers are more likely to drop out. Data from the 1990 Census of Population indicate that rural youths are more open to some of these risks than urban children, but less open to others (Paasch & Swaim, 1995). Rural children are often more poor and more often have parents who are dropouts themselves, but are less likely than urban children to be raised by a single-mother (Paasch & Swaim, 1995). The incidence of these risk factors shows that "at-risk" students in rural schools confront a different mix of potential stumbling blocks than their urban and suburban counterparts. In summary, there is disagreement on if and how the decision to drop out of high school differs for rural youth. Given that the isolated nature of rural areas caused by distance, technology, transportation, or communication may have been substantially reduced in recent years, it is important to examine rural-urban dropout rates and their actual determinants. (Jordan, Kostandini, & Mykerezi,
Rural America is undergoing fast changes that are overcoming rural-urban location and social boundaries (Lichter & Brown, 2011). Because of this trend, studies have been conducted that show the determinants of dropping out of high school are related to individual and family characteristics, industry structure (e.g., McGranahan, 2004), likelihood of getting a job and school discipline (McCaul, 1988), as well as community and school risk factors (Paasch & Swaim, 1995). Research has brought to light several risk factors that increase the likelihood of dropping out (Ashtone and McLanahan). For example, youths from families with wages below poverty, with poorly educated parents, or led by single mothers are more likely to drop out. Data from the 1990 Census of Population indicate that rural youths are more open to some of these risks than urban children, but less open to others (Paasch & Swaim, 1995). Rural children are often more poor and more often have parents who are dropouts themselves, but are less likely than urban children to be raised by a single-mother (Paasch & Swaim, 1995). The incidence of these risk factors shows that "at-risk" students in rural schools confront a different mix of potential stumbling blocks than their urban and suburban counterparts. In summary, there is disagreement on if and how the decision to drop out of high school differs for rural youth. Given that the isolated nature of rural areas caused by distance, technology, transportation, or communication may have been substantially reduced in recent years, it is important to examine rural-urban dropout rates and their actual determinants. (Jordan, Kostandini, & Mykerezi,