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1 UoPeople EDUC 5470 Proposal Template Anonymous University of the People EDUC 5470: Research in Education Dr. Michelle Sorrells May 24, 2020

2 High School Dropouts Education is provided at no cost for students to attend K-12 schools. However, the United States has a very high level of high school dropouts as compared to other industrialized countries (Herbert, 2005). This study may shed light on the factors that contribute to high school drop out rates and allow for planning and problem solving to increase graduation rates. Area of Focus The purpose of this research study is to examine the data surrounding high school dropouts, what factors contribute to the students leaving school, and potential solutions to reducing the number of dropouts. The status dropout rate is the percentage of those individuals aged 16-24 who are not in school and who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent. In 2017, the overall status dropout rate in the United States was 5.4 % (Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States, 2017) . While this may not seem like a large number, it is still over 1 million students who drop out. Explanation of Problem While having the raw data of who has dropped out of school is important, the why and how we can address this problem is vital. In order to address the problem, an understanding of the background of the student is necessary to see how that factors in dropout rates. Much of the background information will involve the economic, academic, and social background of the students. Why are student's not taking advantage of a free education which will stay with them forever? Problem Background

3 In a previous education position, The researcher was a GED administrator at an alternative education program called Job Corps Program, located in Narrowsburg, New York. The purpose of the Job Corps Program was initially to get individuals age 16-22 a professional trade/training. However, many individuals enrolled in the program lacked the education to complete the vocational training that academic preparation was added to the program. The researcher administered the GED testing for students who were from NYC, US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. The center had a majority of non-Caucasian students enrolled. High school dropouts are more likely to be incarcerated, then non-dropouts, and have poorer health and become more likely to use social welfare resources (Grossman & Kasetnet, 1997) . The United States should be able to educate all students, and everyone should have a livable wage and access to health care. Television programs and articles are highlighting how the COVID-19 virus is disproportionally negatively affecting minorities and those less educated. I live in a very rural area, and I was not aware of the number of students on free or reduced lunches until very recently. In looking at data from the local school district provided by the state, I was surprised they have a breakdown of graduation rates for those students classified as economically depressed (PA Department of Education, 2018) . The local firehouse is a pickup location for meals that are being provided to students by the local school district. As a society, we need to elevate people, so no individual ever has to wonder if they are going to have their next meal. By accepting and understanding the factors that cause students to drop out, we can work towards correcting those factors and work towards decreasing the dropout rate to zero. Prior Interventions

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4 Keeping students in school is not just one or two actions; it is a variety of steps and interventions working together. As much as possible, parents need to be part of their child's education. School districts need to encourage students to become involved in school activities from an early age. The decrease in the dropouts among those students who participated in school activities was multi-faceted. It was believed that those students felt a connection to the school and their peers. According to White and Kelly (2010) school counselors believed that having positive social support, especially peer support had a positive influence on keeping students in school. Some schools are creating bridge programs between a student's 8 th and 9 th -grade years to help address both academic and social deficiencies of the students in order to prepare them for high school. In addition to the bridge program, tracking those students who have lower performance is vital to ensure that no student is ignored (Neild, 2009). Literature Review Identifying potential at-risk students is necessary to find which programs and support efforts will best help these students stay in school. In order to find which programs and support efforts may be of best assistance, it is necessary to find out why students dropped out of school. These three areas together are necessary to address the problem of high school dropouts. Without all three sections, the information is incomplete and addressing the problem nearly impossible. High School Dropouts A breakdown of the statistical information from Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates (2017): American Indian/Alaska Native youth had the highest status dropout rate with 10.1 %

5 of all racial/ ethnic groups, including youth who were Hispanic 8.2 %, Black 6.5 %, Mixed 4.5 %, White 4.3 %, Pacific Islander 3.9 %, and Asian 2.1 %. In terms of gender, males overall had a dropout rate of 6.4 %, while females overall had a dropout rate of 4.4 %. In looking at institutionalized compared to non- institutionalized students, the gap is dramatic. Institutionalized students have a dropout rate of 32.4 %, while non-institutionalized students have a dropout rate of 4.4 %. Overall, the dropout rates have decreased for all races and gender groups for the last 35 years (Figure 2.1). Factors for Students Dropping Out of School The research conducted indicates several different factors facilitate students dropping out of school. The social background of the students plays an important factor in students dropping out of school. The pullout is defined as those circumstances outside of school that pullout or prevent students from continuing their education (Doll et al., 2013). Those students who come from a minority background, have low-financial means, or enrolled in under-funded schools are more likely to drop out of school (Donlan et al., 2019). According to the research presented by Donlan et al. (2019) the top three reasons for students leaving school were health at 19%, family 16.6%, and school circumstances at 52.2%. Both the health and family sections are considered pullout reasons because they are both outside factors that caused the student to leave school (Doll et al., 2013). Female pregnancy is a significant portion of the overall health reasons why students drop out of school. Likewise, more males dropped out of school to provide financial support to their families than females. The school circumstances account for just over 50% of the reasons given and can be either a fallout or a pushout. Fallout is the lack of staying in school due to unsatisfactory academic progress or becoming bored in school. The student's academic

6 work becomes non-existent, and the student's presence in school deteriorates until they are no longer attending. The pushout is, by definition, a student forced out of school due to bullying, poor attendance, and behavior, or actively being removed for academic reasons (Doll et al., 2013). In the educational setting, the transition from 8 th grade to 9 th grade is a critical junction. According to Ruth Neild (2009) students in 9 th grade have four primary reasons for dropping out of school. These four reasons are aligned with the previous reasons listed on why students drop out of school. The student is ill-prepared for the academic rigors of 9 th grade. The student is unable to handle the academic work necessary for them to continue their education. Another reason is the social transition of going to a new school. Students will be making new friends who will influence their decisions, and parental supervision begins to decrease. The 3rd reason is the loss of familiar friends and teachers in transiting from 8 th grade to 9 th grade. For many students, the loss of their friends and teachers is tough to overcome. The final reason observed was the organization of the high school itself was the cause of the student dropping out of school. The students lacked the proper support, or inconsistent application of rules and regulations caused the student to leave school. A high school's lack of proper organization and support for students, as well as poor student academic preparation, were the most common reasons observed. This observation reinforces the research conducted by Donlan et al. (2019) in which school circumstances accounted for 52.2 % of the reasons why students dropped out of high school. Remediation Programs to Keep Students in School School districts need to encourage students to become involved in school activities from an early age. The study conducted by Mahoney and Cairns (1997), "Indicates those students

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7 who participated in school activities had a significantly lower rate of dropping out of school compared to those students who did not participate in school activities. The study followed 392 students from middle school through high school. They classified students as having had any vs. no involvement in fine arts, athletics, or vocational extracurricular activity. They also monitored students for early school dropout, defined as a failure to complete eleventh grade." The decrease in the dropouts among those students who participated in school activities was multi-faceted. It was believed that those students felt a connection to the school and their peers. Many times students dropout because those staff members who needed access to this information did not have it (Neild, 2009). If the staff are not aware of a student in trouble, how can they assist? If students are struggling with classes, they need to get the proper support and guidance. Many times, students believed that school districts and teachers did not care about them. For a student, this lack of attention lowers their self-worth and contributes to them dropping out of school (Donlan et al., 2019). Summary According to the research presented by Donlan et al. (2019) the top three reasons for students leaving school were health at 19%, family 16.6%, and school circumstances at 52.2%. Pregnancy is a significant health factor leading to students dropping out of school for both males and females. Students having to support their family financially was also a significant factor in students dropping out of school. Lack of support and assistance, bullying, and boredom were the top reasons listed by students who indicated school circumstances were their reason for dropping out. Parents need to be involved in their children's lives and support them. Parent support is essential for keeping students in school. School districts need to track students who are struggling more effectively and implement programs that will encourage them to stay in school.

8 According to White and Kelly (2010) school counselors believed that having positive social support, especially peer support had a positive influence on keeping students in school. Students participating in school activities, especially those which involve a team, greatly benefit from the positive support from their peers. These students are more likely to stay in school. Research Questions The research questions for this study are: 1) What are the factors that contribute to students dropping out of school? 2) What actions or programs can be implemented to allow students to continue with school enrollment through high school graduation? Population The population for the questionnaire will be 50 students at the Job Corps in Narrowsburg, NY. The students are aged between 18-23. The students involved in the collection of data are in the academic programs and do not have a high school diploma or equivalent. The group is comprised of a majority of African American and Hispanic students; there are few Caucasian and Asian students in the population . The students are a mixture of both males and females as well. The students dropped out of school in various grade levels. Some of the students have learning limitations and may have had an Individual Education Plan (IEP) while enrolled in their traditional school program. Justification The participants in the study are justified based on various factors. These students have dropped out of school. The participants can provide actual data on why they dropped out of school. These students are also in a program to get their GED, and they have insight into what

9 programs have been previously utilized to help them as well as describing current efforts to assist them. Ethics In this research study, integrity and confidentiality are essential concepts. The purpose of the study will be explained to the participants to ensure they understand why they are being asked to provide information. All questions from the participants will be answered. Participant permission will be obtained when sharing information is necessary as not to violate any trust. Confidentiality is necessary to prevent any harm for the students as well as to minimize any possible bias on the information obtained. The participants will not need to answer any question or questions they feel uncomfortable with. If they are unable to complete the questionnaire, their time is appreciated, and they will have no repercussions. The harm to the participants is minimal due to the design of the questions and the lack of any type of physical experimentation. Data Data Sources The data sources for the demographic breakdown of students dropping out of school will be both archival data and a questionnaire. The questionnaire will provide a standard format for getting information, as well as help, reduce bias as much as possible. Questionnaires are also highly effective in compiling frequency distributions (California State University, n.d.). The completed questionnaires will allow a simple yet effective way to tabulate and analyze the information necessary. The archival data will provide the necessary background information to develop a better understanding of the topic as well as support other research questions. A questionnaire is going to be used to collect the data from the students regarding the factors which lead them to drop out of school. The questionnaire will provide a standard format

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10 for getting information, as well as help, reduce bias as much as possible. This section of the questionnaire will allow for multiple selections, as multiple factors may have contributed to the student dropping out of school. This question also has the possible inaccuracy due to the students being embarrassed or scared to share information. This is why a questionnaire, instead of an interview, was chosen. Interviewing the students may make them uncomfortable speaking the truth, such as they were bullied or became pregnant in order to please the interviewer. In having the students fill out a questionnaire, they may be more comfortable in telling the truth. For the final research question concerning what programs or methods could have contributed to a student staying in school, the survey is the best method of collecting the data for frequency tables (California State University, n.d.). The researcher wants to avoid bias or leading the students to provide answers which might not reflect their true beliefs. The use of an interview was something that had been considered but wanted to prevent bias or leading questions that could influence the participant's responses. Plan for Data Collection The students in the classroom will be filling out a questionnaire. Students will be indicating what grade they dropped out of school and the year they dropped out. The students will be instructed to pick one grade and one age. The other two questions will allow for multiple answers chosen. The participants will be explained that for the last two questions, they may select as any option which applies to them and that having multiple selections is permitted. The researcher will inform the participants of the reason for the study and the need for collecting the information in the questionnaire. The participants will be given consent forms ahead of time to review, sign, and return. The confidentiality of the information will be stressed to the students, and if they are uncomfortable with any question to please skip and they can leave at any time without getting in any trouble.

11 Summary This research proposal has been prepared as part of EDUC 5470 course requirements. The purpose of this research study is to examine the data surrounding high school dropouts, what factors contribute to the students leaving school, and potential solutions to reducing the number of dropouts.

12 References California State University, (n.d.). Data collection strategies II: Qualitative research. http://web.csulb.edu/~msaintg/ppa696/696quali.htm Doll, J. J., Eslami, Z., & Walters, L. (2013). Understanding Why Students Drop Out of High School, According to Their Own Reports: Are They Pushed or Pulled, or Do They Fall Out? A Comparative Analysis of Seven Nationally Representative Studies. Sage Journals . doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013503834 Donlan, E. A., McDermott, R. E., & Zaff, F. J. (2019). Why do students drop out? Turning points and long-term experiences. The Journal of Educational Research, 112 (2), 272- 282. doi:10.1080/00220671.2018.1517296 Grossman, M., & Kasetnet, R. (1997). Effects of Education of Health. (J. Behrman, & N. Stacey Ed.), Social Benefits of Education. Ann Arbor: Univeristy of Michigan Press. Herbert, B. (2005, Juy 21). Education's Collateral Damage . New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/21/opinion/educations-collateral-damage.html Mahoney, J. L., & Cairns, R. B. (1997). Do extracurricular activities protect against early school dropouts? Developmental Psychology , 33(2), 241-53. https://www.artsedsearch.org/ study/do-extracurricular-activities-protect-against-early-school-dropout/ Neild, R. C. (2009). Falling off track during the transition to high school: what we know and what can be done. The Future of children / Center for the Future of Children, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation , 19(1), 53-76. https://files.eric.ed.gov/ fulltext/EJ842047.pdf PA Department of Education. (2018). Cohort Graduation Rate . Pennsylvania Department of Education: https://www.education.pa.gov/DataAndReporting/ CohortGradRate/Pages/default.aspx

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13 Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States. (2017). National Center for Education Excellence: https://nces.ed.gov/programs /dropout/ind_02.asp White, S. W., & Kelly, F. D. (2010). The School Counselor's Role in School Dropout Prevention. Journal of Counseling & Development , 88 (2), 227-235. doi:10.1002/j.1556- 6678.2010.tb00014.x

APA7 Research Proposal Template submission

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