Experts say research on high school dropouts tends to focus on what causes them to give up on school. But a new study sheds light on what happens to dropouts who return to school. Reporter Ana Tintocalis has the details.
A group called West Ed tracked ninth graders who dropped out but went back to school and graduated on their second, third or fourth try.
Researchers found more than half of the 3,000 students they followed gave up on school as freshman. About one-third came back to school and, in the end, one in five earned a diploma.
Researcher BethAnn Berliner says a similar set of push-and-pull factors get students back.
Berliner:
The primary thing that pushed dropouts to return to school was the fact that they couldn't find work. The thing that pulled them back to school was a caring adult -- somebody at the school site, a principal, a school coach, who said you can create a better life for yourself and we will help you do it.
The San Diego Unified School District launched a program this year called Project Recovery to get school officials in touch with students who've given up on school.
Berliner praises those efforts. She's also calling for more credit recovery programs in all schools.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
