Dr. Harold Long

Education Policy Analysis and Research

Economic Implications of a Dropout

Jan 5

Posted by Harold Long in Education Policy, High School Dropouts | 10 Comments

South Carolina faces a potentially troublesome future with the rate of high school dropouts in the state. The implications of this trend not only influence the immediate earning potential of a dropout, but reach far into the future with implications for public welfare.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown that high school dropouts earn an average under $20,000 annually (female dropouts age 25-34 earn less than $15,000) compared to their high school graduate counterparts who earn $28,800. The average annual income for an adult with a bachelor’s degree jumps to $46,300. Over the course of a thirty year working career, a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree will earn almost $750,000 (with no adjustments for inflation) more than a high school dropout.

The differences in the income levels between the college graduate and high school dropout are significant, particularly when considering the impact of the lessened tax rates on public services and infrastructure. Read the rest of this story »

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High School Dropouts: South Carolina’s Legacy

Dec 20

Posted by Harold Long in High School Dropouts | 6 Comments

The continued trend of high school dropouts in our public schools has placed South Carolina in a precarious position for its policy in dealing with what will be a costly legacy.

There are a number of organizations that examine and report on dropout rates for South Carolina. The most recent data analysis indicates the cohort graduation rate of the class of 2008 was only 61 percent- or a dropout rate of 39 percent (the SC Department of Education reports a dropout rate of less than 4 percent each year since 1999). Read the rest of this story »

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High School Dropouts: The Story Behind The Numbers

Nov 20

Posted by Harold Long in Education Policy, High School Dropouts | No Comments

High school dropouts have been the focus of unprecedented attention, and rightly so if our education system is to meet the needs of an increasingly demanding workplace. But for all the attention dropouts receive, the results are, at best, ambiguous and, at worst, inadequate.

The United States Department of Education requires state departments of education to report graduation rates. These rates help to determine whether schools are meeting the federal mandate for “adequate yearly progress” in educating the youth of America. Read the rest of this story »

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High School Dropouts: Where Do We Go Now?

Oct 20

Posted by Harold Long in Education Policy, High School Dropouts | No Comments

The approach we take to the mounting dilemma of high school dropouts may well set the course for South Carolinas’ future prosperity. So, where do we go from here?

The incidence of low graduation rates and high dropout rates are only symptoms of more pervasive, underlying problems. The long term, permanent solution to high school dropouts lies in our efforts to institute multi-faceted reforms in order to meet the rigorous demands of a global economy. Read the rest of this story »

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Special Education in South Carolina: A Policy Brief

Aug 5

Posted by Harold Long in Education Policy, Special Education | 3 Comments

Despite education laws that had been in place nationwide since 1918, many children with disabilities were regularly excluded from public schools due to the inability of public facilities and personnel to meet the unique needs of disabled children. Their options to obtain a public education were severely limited: remain at home or be institutionalized. Even children with mild or moderate disabilities who eventually did enroll in public school were likely to drop out long before graduating from high school*. Read the rest of this story »

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