Much confusion about early school leaving stems from the variety of definitions attached to the phenomenon. Without consistent definitions and consistent efforts to collect comparable data, attempts to monitor progress toward meeting the national goal will founder. Without consistent definitions, systematic research into the phenomenon of early school leaving is also more difficult. Each rate reveals different, but related, aspects of the phenomenon. These rates can reflect changes that affect a given group over time.
Event rates concern only the actual act of dropping out in a given year.
The two NCES reports provide comparable data only for event and status rates. In the sections that follow, data on status rates are the primary focus of discussion. The national status dropout rate, measured for the group aged 16 to 24, has generally declined in the last 20 years. These rates, too, have changed in recent decades, with improvement among older age groups. Part of this trend can be attributed to the effect of high school equivalency programs, in which older persons participate more than younger persons.