zlacker

Every time I see these numbers I'm shocked at how it's not >98%.

>>giantg+(OP)
the high school era in ones' life has a lot of opportunity for personal hardship; in many ways it's the beginning of personal responsibility for a lot of people.

in other words : it's less likely that an elementary school student has to juggle an unwanted pregnancy, an estranged family, and a job at McDonalds; it's not that uncommon later on.

>>serf+y1
I do get that. I knew people who had a kid, family issues, substance issues, etc and still managed to graduate. I know there are probably others who wouldn't graduate in similar situations or worse ones. It still shocks me that the dropout rate is so high.

>>giantg+57
I feel shocked too. But not surprised. The shock is more of a reminder that the world for many is so unlike the world for me. It’s so easy to assume everyone has approximately my experience. But it’s just so not true. So many are dealing with such an unfair hand to begin with.

>>giantg+(OP)
If intelligence is distributed on a bell curve there are going to be some that can't graduate no matter how hard they work, and some more that can only graduate with a lot of hard work. Then throw in some more people that have some difficult life circumstances: parents dying, depression or other health issues, drug or alcohol problems, etc.

>>confid+ug
This number is including the fact that we already lower standards for those on the left side of the bell curve. It's entirely the difficult life situations at play.

>>confid+ug
In my experience they just stop attending, not hit a class they can't pass. There is no standard of achievement required to graduate high school besides participation.

>>giantg+(OP)
The kids who don't graduate basically have just stopped showing up.

If you attend school and turn in your assignments, regardless of how poorly you do, you will graduate from a modern US highschool.

>>giantg+57
As someone who was homeless in high school (but still graduated thanks to some incredible non-familial adults), it's very easy to think, "fuck it, I'm out, I don't need this extra stress". Doing homework is real fucking hard when you don't have anywhere that's home.