NCJ Number
118411
Journal
School Safety Issue: 3 Dated: (Spring 1986) Pages: 6-7
Date Published
1986
Length
2 pages
Annotation
Students who abuse drugs or drop out of school constitute a national problem, particularly since about 25 percent of youth aged 17 and 18 years do not complete high school.
Abstract
Only 6 of every 100 black teenagers not in school are employed full-time, and many girls who drop out of school marry or have babies. Local officials face financial disincentives to fully count all dropouts, since Federal and State reimbursement is based on average daily school attendance. States should be cooperating to develop a model definition of "dropout" and should share their school enrollment data to determine characteristics and profiles of high-risk students. Evidence suggests that youth who eventually drop out of school start thinking about it in middle and junior high school grades. Even though urban dropouts are most visible, the rural dropout rate is also serious. The unique dropout problems of migrants and rural areas where tradition works against getting a higher degree should be recognized. Designer drugs represent a new threat to youth because they are easy to produce with minimal investment. The basic challenges are to keep youth mentally and physically in school and to insure that every school has a safe learning environment.