With Colorado’s high school graduation rate consistently in the bottom half of all states, it’s easy to understand why some state lawmakers want to require students to stay in school until they’re 18 years old.
It’s the right message to send children, that society cares about you and wants you to be educated. Students currently can drop out of school legally at 16.
But without adding or changing school curriculums or programs, those teens who want to drop out won’t morph into model students simply because the long arm of the law supposedly keeps them from walking away.
And what happens to those who do walk away? Criminalizing them won’t overcome the underlying reasons why the dropout rate is so high.
Parents now are required to get their kids to school by age 7, but they can drop out at 16. Senate Bill 73, sponsored by Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, would start mandatory schooling at age 6 and require attendance until age 18 – unless they’ve already graduated. The Senate approved the bill March 28. It’s scheduled to go before the House Education Committee on Thursday.
Nine states mandate attendance until age 17, and 14 require students to be 18. Colorado is one of 27 states that allows students to drop out of school at 16.
As the economy changes, and manufacturing jobs are shipped overseas, there are fewer good-paying jobs available for high school dropouts. And countless surveys show that students with at least a high school diploma earn more than those who drop out. Any law that allows students to drop out of school at 16 seems hopelessly outdated.
Tapia’s bill isn’t a cure-all, but could be considered part of a larger solution for a state ranked 32nd in dropout rates.
“You want a reason for them to be there and a program that works for them,” said Alex Medler of the Colorado Children’s Campaign. “We want incentives for them to be in school.”
If the bill becomes law, schools should view it as a challenge to change and adapt, finding more ways for students to succeed. The current system is failing far too many children.
