The high cost of dropping out
Steve Uruquart, a leading workforce development professional based at Workforce Florida, is focusing on the economic costs of dropouts. In my talk in at the Future of Florida Forum this week, I mentioned the "lifetime economic disability" that dropping out creates for young people. This issue, long neglected, is finally starting to register with people.
I have suggested a few resources in my response to Steve's request for more information:
Steve:
The lifetime earnings estimate is based on data from BLS data. They publish data on earnings by educational attainment.
The social cost data comes from a dropout report released last week by Northeastern University.
See:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/education/09dropout.html
The report puts the collective cost to the nation over the working life of each high school dropout at $292,000. Mr. Sum said that figure took into account lost tax revenues, since dropouts earn less and therefore pay less in taxes than high school graduates. It also includes the costs of providing food stamps and other aid to dropouts and of incarcerating those who turn to crime.
I've included a couple of reports, including the one released earlier this week.
You should be aware of these resources.
California's Dropout Research Project:
http://cdrp.ucsb.edu/
The National Drop out Prevention Center at Clemson
http://www.dropoutprevention.org/
Alliance for Excellent Education
http://www.all4ed.org/
(download)
