Dispelling Stereotypes of Young People Who Leave School before Graduation. "Don't Call Them Dropouts" Research Series. Research Brief.
The number of young people who leave school before graduation continues to be a problem in the United States, with approximately 485,000 young people leaving school each year. Not graduating translates to substantial individual and societal economic, civic, and social costs. Understanding the factor...
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Full Text (via ERIC) |
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| Corporate Author: | |
| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[Place of publication not identified] :
Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse,
2016.
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| Summary: | The number of young people who leave school before graduation continues to be a problem in the United States, with approximately 485,000 young people leaving school each year. Not graduating translates to substantial individual and societal economic, civic, and social costs. Understanding the factors that lead young people to leave school can have significant benefits for these young people and society as a whole. Considerable research on students who leave high school before graduation examines the risk factors in their lives, including the characteristics or skills they lack. However, the Center for Promise's 2014 research report, "Don't Call Them Dropouts," found that these young people often demonstrate great strengths in their ability to overcome adversity. Using the principles of Positive Youth Development (PYD) theory as a guide, this brief seeks to identify aspects of PYD among young people who have left high school before graduation. This study explores the social and emotional competencies of young people who have left school before graduating from high school. Though often labeled "dropouts," by society, stereotypes assume that these young people are deficient and simply disengaged--lacking the competencies of those that do graduate. The analyses show that young people who left school expressed the same competencies as those that have been found for young people who are academically successful, and while not always legal or socially acceptable, the competencies of young people who left school before graduating enabled them to pursue and successfully reach their goals. Often, these goals were focused on circumstances that were dissonant with attending school, such as caring for a family member, surviving violent and/or abusive situations, or financially providing for themselves or their families. This brief focuses on a framework developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), which includes the following core skills: (1) responsible decision-making; (2) self-management; (3) relationship skills; (4) social awareness; and (5) self-awareness. Organizations that help young people resolve issues of trauma, overcome social and economic barriers, and provide access to job training and educational support leverage young peoples' strengths and encourage positive outcomes in their lives. [For the 2014 report, "Don't Call Them Dropouts: Understanding the Experiences of Young People Who Leave High School before Graduation," see ED545308.] |
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| Item Description: | Availability: Center for Promise. Available from: America's Promise Alliance. 1110 Vermont Avenue NW Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-657-0600; Fax: 202-657-0601; e-mail: publications@americaspromise.org; Web site: http://www.americaspromise.org/program/center-promise. Sponsoring Agency: Target Corporation. Abstractor: ERIC. Educational level discussed: High Schools. Educational level discussed: Secondary Education. |
| Physical Description: | 1 online resource (9 pages) |
| Type of Computer File or Data Note: | Text (Reports, Research) |
| Preferred Citation of Described Materials Note: | Center for Promise. |