This is an opportune time for us to provide leadership by using our data and research to assist schools in preventing students from leaving school. There is also an enormous cost to Oregon. Dropouts account for nearly 80 percent of Oregon's adult prison population and are four times more likely to be covered by the Oregon Health Plan. We can invest in dropout prevention now or pay later. For example, Hispanics drop out at more than twice the statewide rate.
Many students drop out because they are behind in credits.
Student mobility and the availability of jobs also influence the rate. Schools need resources to fund a concentrated effort that will allow them to focus on each and every at-risk student. Targeted assistance would give schools greater ability to see that students this close to graduation have alternatives available to them. For instance, resources could allow adult mentors from the community to help keep at risk students connected to school life. These schools would target specific community and multicultural support.