School completion

Research suggests that the paths to academic success and school completion begin at conception and are likely attributable to many different factors, both biological and environmental. These factors follow two distinct perspectives:

• individual factors, such as experiences, attitudes, behaviours, language and literacy skills, attention deficits and difficulties with recognizing and using the sounds of spoken words prior to the age of six, are predictors of academic difficulties and ultimately of premature departure from school, aggression and poor self-regulation — all associated with dropping out;
• contextual factors found in students’ families (demographic  characteristics, poverty, single-parent family with low educational attainment or belonging to an ethnic minority), schools (early education, quality of school), communities (using a second language) and peers.

We know that students who drop out:

• tend to be less intellectually competent and receive lower grades and achievement scores;
• are more likely to come from lower income and single-parent homes, with parents who are less involved in their education. Although drop-out rates are higher among lower income and single-parent families, the majority of drop-outs come from two-parent, middle-income homes;
• have difficulties in forming adult and peer relationships (socio-emotional competence). Being rejected or friendless or being aggressive places children at risk for poor academic performance, grade retention, absenteeism and truancy. Positive peer relationships can be a protective factor, supporting a child’s academic pursuits. The relationship between socio-emotional and academic competence can be reciprocal;
• fail to develop a sense of belonging to the school milieu.

Leading experts identify several well demonstrated outcomes regarding participation in quality preschool or early childhood programs and subsequent school success. The outcomes of such programs are far-reaching and the effects of some programs are known to persist through adulthood. Participants in these programs:

• especially children from low-income families, experience the greatest benefits;
• are more likely to graduate from high school and achieve higher education;
• have greater motivation to learn and are more ready to learn at school entry;
• score higher on IQ and achievement, reading and mathematics tests;
• have a lower drop-out rate in comparison to similar individuals who have not attended these programs; and
• benefit from the lasting effects of higher educational attainment and higher lifetime earnings and savings.
  

See also...

• How important is it?
• What can be done?
• According to experts