Legislation could soon make it more difficult for students to drop out of high school—at least in Alabama. Republican state Sen. Arthur Orr has proposed adding a year to Alabama’s legal dropout age, which would make it illegal to leave high school before the age of 17.
If passed, the legislation would also require students intent on dropping out to undergo an exit interview with school administrators while a parent or guardian is present. Alabama is making this move to decrease its 41 percent dropout rate. Increasing the legal age to withdraw from high school will effectively keep students in school longer, but it may not do much to strengthen their educational backgrounds and improve academic performance. That would require school officials to address the reasons behind the high dropout rate so that students can take full advantage of their education, instead of sitting in a classroom and twiddling their thumbs until their 17th birthday.
The Education Supply Playground 