At the other end of the achievement spectrum from SAT test takers are dropouts. Studies have shown that students who drop out of school are more likely to be lower-performing students prior to leaving. Despite the importance of reducing dropout rates, data on school dropouts are relatively poor.
States define and collect dropout data in different ways, making comparisons difficult.
Differences among school districts create similar problems in comparing dropout rates within California. While California fares poorly in comparison to the selected states, dropout rates appear to be declining. As with NAEP and SAT scores, significant differences appear when data are arrayed based on race and ethnicity. Unfortunately, the data generally do not permit examination of other factors, such as family income and education, that could affect dropout rates. This figure shows the percentage of youth ages 16 through 19 who are not in school and do not have a high school diploma for California, the comparison states, and the nation as a whole.