Education strategies to improve high school graduation rates
Education strategies can ensure that high school students receive effective instruction, stay on track with academic coursework, and have access to enriching activities outside the classroom.
Individuals with a high school diploma (or its equivalent) are more likely to graduate from college or a workforce training program, obtain high-quality employment, and create stable households for their children.
How does high school graduation affect economic mobility?
- Graduating from high school decreases the likelihood of living in poverty. 1
Individuals who do not graduate from high school are significantly more likely to live in poverty, suffer from unemployment, experience poor health outcomes, and be incarcerated than individuals with a high school diploma.
- Individuals with a high school diploma earn more than individuals without a high school diploma. 2 3
Individuals with a high school degree but no post-secondary education earn approximately $8,000 more per year than individuals without a high school diploma, adding up to $260,000 more in lifetime earnings. Individuals who receive a GED tend to earn less than individuals with a high school diploma but more than individuals without a high school diploma or GED.
- A high school diploma is correlated with higher levels of well-being. 4
Individuals without a high school diploma are more likely to suffer from chronic disease, have unplanned pregnancies, and abuse alcohol or other substances compared to individuals who have graduated from high school.
- High school graduates are less likely to be incarcerated than individuals without a high school diploma. 5 6
Individuals without a high school diploma make up more than 80 percent of the incarcerated population of the United States. The average cost of incarceration is over $33,000 per inmate per year.
Categories of successful interventions
- Dropout prevention programs: Provide students at risk of dropping out with a variety of services to encourage high school persistence. Can include educational, social-emotional, case management, or other types of services
- Dual enrollment/early college programs: Programs that allow students to enroll in college-level courses and earn college credits while still in high school
- Effective teaching: Strategies that improve teacher quality, provide professional development opportunities for teachers, and attract and retain effective instructors
Evidence-based interventions
| Intervention | Type | Category | Evidence Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alternative high schools for at-risk students | Policy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| Attendance interventions for chronically absent students | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters | Program |
|
Strong (second-highest tier) |
| Community schools | Strategy |
|
Strong (second-highest tier) |
| Dropout prevention programs | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| Dropout prevention programs for teen mothers | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| GED/HSED certificate programs | Strategy |
|
Strong (second-highest tier) |
| Health career recruitment | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| Mentoring programs for high school graduation | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| School-based prevention programs for aggressive and disruptive behavior | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| School-based violence and bullying prevention programs | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| School-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| Small Schools of Choice | Strategy |
|
Strong (second-highest tier) |
| Summer learning programs | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| Targeted truancy interventions | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| Trauma-informed schools | Strategy |
|
Strong (second-highest tier) |
| Universal teacher classroom management practices | Strategy |
|
Proven (highest tier) |