SCHOOL DROPOUTS
As of October 2000, approximately 488,000 youth aged
15 - 24 dropped out of high school in the previous
12 months. Those who dropped out of high school during
this period represented 4.8 percent of students enrolled
in high school between October 1999 and 2000. This
rate has remained relatively unchanged since 1987.
Since 1970, Hispanic students have had the highest
dropout rates, representing well over a quarter of
Hispanic young adults. In 2000, the dropout rate was
significantly higher among foreign-born Hispanics,
44.2 percent, compared to 14.6 percent of first-generation
and 15.9 percent of second-generation Hispanics. Although
the gap in the dropout rate of blacks and whites narrowed
between the 1970s and 1980s, the gap has remained
constant since 1990. Asian and Pacific Islander students
had the lowest rate of dropouts (3.8).
Those students most likely to ever drop out of school
in 2000 were those living in southern and western
states, boys, and students over age 18. Students living
in low-income families were twice as likely as those
in middle-income families and five times as likely
as those in high- income families to drop out.
 [d]
Note: Status rates measure the proportion
of the population who have not completed high
school and are not enrolled at one point in
time, regardless of when they dropped out.
|
|
