While the national dropout rate is decreasing, there are still over one million children, most of them Latino and African American, who are not graduating from high school. What might be surprising to some is that the majority of these students are not dropping out because they don't want to do the homework, but because they're hungry, have no way to get to school or can't see the blackboard, according to a new report from Communities in Schools.
Here are five reasons why some teens drop out:
-Hunger: If a teen is hungry this can lead to a lack of focus and attention to schoolwork and other activities
-Vision Problems: Teens reported not being able to see the blackboard or the teacher, and many families cannot afford to get eyeglasses or go to an eye doctor.
-Lack of appropriate clothing: Many teens did not have a proper-fitting coat, shoes or clothes to attend school.
-Homelessness: If a child does not know where she or he is spending the night, school is not a priority, the report found.
-Problems Getting to School - Some neighborhoods were too unsafe for walking to school; others have no way to get to school.
Communities in Schools (CIS), a network of non-profits that brings community resources to young people in schools, says the report highlights the importance of increasing the network of neighborhood services available.
In the 2012-2013 school year, CIS provided comprehensive case managers to over 100,000 students, and 43 percent of them were Hispanic. Ninety six percent of case-managed students graduated from high school.
