What are the main reasons as to why students drop out of high school?
Although most students in the United States receive a free education, some high school students decide to drop out before receiving a diploma. Throughout the years, reasons as to why students drop out are repetitive, such as families receiving reduced incomes, families receiving limited benefits from the government, students obtaining various suspensions or expulsions, and adolescent pregnancies. In lieu of successfully graduating high school, students may drop out due to their family not being financially stable; consequently, this situation leads to students getting jobs early in life in order to increase the family’s income. Another reason students tend to dropout is in order to support their family, due to receiving limited benefits from the government. These benefits include Social Security and Food Stamps; however, only a small percentage of these families gain benefits, based on statistics provided in NEA Today. According to NEA Today, Hispanics are more likely to help provide their family's income. Additionally, dropouts may obtain suspensions or expulsions, leading students to feel discouraged about whether or not completing high school will be beneficial or even achievable. Finally, a common obstacle that prevents students from graduating is pregnancy. Adolescent pregnancy can often be unwanted; nevertheless, most students decide to raise the child, thus becoming overwhelmed and leaving high school. The major factors which determine high school dropout rates are due to the following: families receiving reduced incomes, families receiving limited benefits from the government, students obtaining various suspensions or expulsions, and adolescent pregnancies.