Statistics - Essay Example

Statistics on High School Dropout Education forms a critical component of every child’s life. It is for this reason that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child bestows upon every child the right to education that would develop their talents, personality and physical and mental abilities to the fullest as documented by the American Psychological Association, APA (2012). This means that students who drop out of school do not achieve their full potential. Thus, statistics on high school dropout is crucial to me as it enables me understand the importance of graduating.

The number of high school dropouts has decreased over years. As documented by the National Center for Education Statistics, NCES (2013), the years 1990 to 2011 saw an average drop from 12% to 7% of high school dropouts in the US. This shows that a majority of high school students increasingly appreciate the importance of graduating, thus the need for me to also strive to graduate. In support of this finding, it would be appreciated that school dropouts increasingly find it hard to secure employment.

In 1990, 52.5% of high school dropouts were employed as compared to 49.8% in 2011 (NCES, 2013). Thus, with the aim of securing employment in future to attain financial independence, it would be important to complete my high school education. Completion would increase my chances of securing employment and therefore a brighter future. Interestingly, more male than female students consistently drop out of high school. As such, I appreciate the greater risk of dropout as a male student thus the need to take grater caution to ensure that I do not fall victim to factors that could hinder me from completing my high school education.

Therefore, these statistics on high school dropout rates enlighten me on the importance of graduating from high school.ReferencesAmerican Psychological Association. (2012). Facing the school dropout dilemma. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved 16 June 2014 from http://www.apa.org/National Center for Education Statistics. (2013). Fast facts: Dropout rates. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 16 June 2014 from http://nces.ed.gov/