At first glance, dropping out of school is a terrible idea. The outlook for high school dropouts is considerably more bleak than for teens who finish their education. According to a 2005 study by the non-profit Brookings Institution and Princeton University, adults, ages 30-39, who never completed high school were earning $15,700 a year less than their colleagues with high school diplomas, and $35,000 a year less than adults of similar age who had attended college for two years. Dropouts are more likely to be unemployed or land on welfare, and the incarceration statistics - which aren't cause and effect, of course, but are worth noting - are alarming. Two-thirds of the inmates in state prisons are high school dropouts.
That said, there are a few cases where dropping out - or delaying completion - of a traditional education makes sense. Young musicians, dancers or actors who are already pursuing professional careers as teens may find the standard school day difficult to manage. Even if school hours don't conflict, rising for an 8 a.m. class may be impossible for someone with late night gigs on a regular basis. Most of those students opt for - and their families insist on - private tutors or independent study programs, which deliver the necessary units to graduate on time. But a few defer their education by a semester, a year or longer when professional commitments require traveling or excessive hours. That's a decision a family needs to weigh carefully - after all, even Dakota Fanning juggles high school and stardom.
Health issues may also necessitate a pause in education while your child heals, gets his physical or mental health condition under control, or finds an alternative path. Again, most teens - and their families - opt for tutors or independent study programs, which can be done privately or under the auspices of a public high school district.
But nearly 75% of the teens who drop out eventually finish, according to the Brookings Institution, the majority by earning their GED, others by finishing their coursework and actually graduating. So before freaking out at the very thought of your child dropping out, carefully weigh the pros and cons of dropping or stopping out. Then, formulate a plan with your child for resuming that education - via re-enrollment, tutors or independent study, or one of the "second chance education" programs available, such as the GED.
