The Dropout Deficit

John Fitzgerald, at MN2020, breaks down the cost factor of dropouts, and the options before us to keep them in school:

The bottom-line difference for the public purse between high school graduates and dropouts is stark. Over a working life of 45 years, each dropout costs taxpayers an extra $252,000 – paying $167,000 less in taxes and costing $48,900 more in health care, $31,800 more in the justice system and $4,100 more in state assistance programs.

What can we do:

he authors looked at programs and strategies that reduce the number of dropouts. Using only programs with known costs and results, they found:

* Increasing teacher salaries by 10 percent raises high school graduation rates 5 percent. The cost for each additional graduate is $56,850. The benefit-cost ratio is 4.01.

* Reducing class size in elementary schools increases high school graduation by 11 percent for all students and 18 percent for low-income students. The cost for each additional graduate is $116,720 across the board, but only $71,330 for low-income students. The overall benefit-cost ratio is 1.96, but 3.21 for low-income students.

* First Things First, a program that emphasizes small learning communities, long-term teacher student relationships, mentoring and a rigorous curriculum, increases graduation rates by 16 percent. The cost for each new graduate is $33,680, the benefit-cost ratio 6.72.

* Talent Development targets the transition between 9th and 10th grades and has increased graduation rates by 8 percent. It includes small learning communities, help sessions and advanced curricula. The cost for each additional graduate is $34,850, the benefit-cost ratio 6.56.

* Check and Connect is a program to assess and mentor at-risk students. It increases the graduation rate by 17 percent. The cost for each additional graduate is $47,930, the benefit-cost ratio 4.77.

There is value in Public education. Dr. No's butchering of the reality show how out of touch he, and the Right, really are:

Among the ideas he discussed, was high school class sizes of 100, 200 or more. It would make them similar to college and would remove special needs students from the regular school system.

"There are hundreds, thousands of children in our public schools today that we are babysitting, we are warehousing them," said Krinkie.

Krinkie would move high need children to special schools.

"Let's not forget the purpose of the K through 12 system: to benefit the majority of the children in terms of their educational progress," Krinkie said.

And lets not forget the purpose of the Tax Payers League, to gut societies coffers until dropout rates increase, bridges fall, and property taxes skyrocket. Wait, isn't that what is happening now.

Flash