High School Education Overview

High school is an exciting and formative time full of new opportunities and adventures. Young adults begin to experience more independence, while also learning to juggle new skills and responsibilities. It’s also during this period of a student’s education that they begin to consider their long-term future and how to be college- or career-ready.

Securing a high school degree is essential to succeeding in our 21st century economy. Adults without high school degrees make much less than those who graduate and are much more likely to experience poverty and incarceration. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “the average [high school] dropout can expect to earn an annual income of $20,241. That’s a full $10,386 less than the typical high school graduate and $36,424 less than someone with a bachelor’s degree.” In addition to impeding one’s economic prospects, dropping out of high school can hinder a student’s ability to get into college.

While high school graduation rates in the U.S. have improved considerably since 2001 -- with more than 3.5 million additional students graduating instead of dropping out --  there are still gaps.

Graduation Rates for Public High School Students: 2017-18

There are approximately 16 million high school students and 21,287 public high schools in the U.S. While high school graduation rates are trending upward, there are still too many young people who aren’t securing their degrees. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, and Black Students, particularly those who are male are most at risk of dropping out.

Dropout Rates of 16- to 24-year-olds, by Race, Ethnicity and Sex: 2016

Students who experience homelessness, come from low-income families, have disabilities, and are English learners are also more at risk for dropping out. A report from the National Center for Homeless Education shows that more than 1.5 million public school students nationwide were homeless at some point during the 2017-18 school year. Many of these students are not graduating on time. English learners, in particular, need additional and culturally responsive supports to ensure they are stay on-track and graduate on time. Schools and school districts can help here by providing teachers with the professional development and evidence-based curriculum they need to help our nation’s growing population of immigrant students achieve.

Even when they are still in school, Black and Latino students are less likely than white students to have access to the most rigorous courses. This creates another barrier for students who may not be prepared for college coursework. According to The Education Trust:

Black and Latino students are locked out of Advanced Placement (AP). Black students make up 15% of high schoolers nationwide, but only 9% of students enrolled in at least one AP course. Nearly a quarter of students are Latino, but only 21% of students enrolled in AP courses are Latino.

The achievement and graduation gaps we see in high school and across the K-12 school system are caused by many factors. Here we cover two structural barriers we have to address as a nation if we are ever going to advance educational equity and academic success for all students. For a more comprehensive view of what it takes to end disparities in education, read the 2020 Building a Grad Nation Report.

Racial Inequities in School Discipline

Disparities in school discipline are also a barrier to success for some students. Even as the number of young people being incarcerated decreased by 41% from 1995 - 2010 , zero tolerance policies and racist and biased attitudes toward Black students have made them more vulnerable to harsh disciplinary practices in schools. Black students are suspended or expelled three times more frequently than white students. Additionally, Black students make up just 16% of student enrollment, but account for over 31% of school arrests.

In Pushout, her landmark book and film by the same name, Monique Morris documented the impact of these policies on Black girls, who are six times more likely to be suspended than white girls for the same infractions. In response, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has drafted legislation to reduce exclusionary discipline practices in schools.

School districts across the country are also developing new restorative justice practices to end harsh and inequitable disciplinary practices and help schools and students reduce and successfully address conflict.