Given the recent public school shootings, New York should not enact legislation which will result in a more stressful atmosphere for teachers and students. There is no statistical data or research to support the position that raising the compulsory attendance age will reduce the dropout rate. To the contrary, according to U.S. Department of Education statistics charting 16 to 19 year olds not attending or graduating from high school, the top five states with the lowest dropout rate only require attendance through age 15. Statistics indicate that the states with the highest compulsory attendance ages also have the highest dropout rates in the nation. Therefore, there is no true need to raise the compulsory attendance age from 16 to 17 years old in New York, nor is there any statistical data to prove that this has any effect of reducing dropout rates in any other state.
Time is of the essence.