by Cheryl Abney

Created on: September 10, 2010

Stopped at the intersection for a red light, you notice the adolescent boy leaning against the store front. He wears his attitude of world-weariness as he does his faded, baggy clothes and unkempt hair. It is ten a.m. and he should be in school. You wonder what factors have made school less than attractive to him. What skills or resources does a student who drops out of school lack? What issues do concerned adults need address to have more of our students graduate and go on to higher education? Consider the following factors that complement or distract high school students in their pursuit of a rewarding, productive future.

Support System:

Every child needs an emotional support system that encourages communication.  Sometimes it takes only one loving, supportive adult in a child’s life to steer them toward success and not defeat. If family support is lacking, adolescents will turn to their peers for acceptance and direction. High school students are notorious for choosing to follow peer influence over parental judgment. Parents must start when children are young and impressionable to provide them good relations through family time, church activities, athletic activities, and community clubs like 4-H and scouts.  

Financial:

High school students sometimes choose to work to provide for family needs or their own wants, such as a car or fashionable clothes. Attending school and then putting in part-time work hours leaves little if any time for studies. Unless they are a very bright student, they’ll soon lag behind and find the GED (General Education Diploma) looking increasingly attractive. 

Home Language:

If a child is entering high school with weak English speaking skills, they are at a great disadvantage.  At registration, brief questions are used to identify ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students.  Personal experience as a high school business teacher can attest to the sorely lacking support for those who need a great deal of assistance in understanding texts and lectures.

Reading:

The ability to read at grade level is a major determinant of high school success. Reading is a huge issue in the “No Child Left Behind” government push.  Schools are diligently building programs and interventions to assist students in their reading.  If a student is not reading within a year of their current grade level, they are going to struggle with understanding academic material presented

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