This research summary was developed by Pathways to Education.

HERE’S HOW THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE THIS RESEARCH SUMMARY:

Young people who do not finish high school suffer from a lifetime of poor health and economic outcomes. They often have to contend with poor employment prospects and low-income jobs, interactions with the justice system, and higher reliance on social assistance. Previous research has identified several risk factors at the individual, family, school, and community levels that are strong predictors of early school leaving. Little is known, however, about factors that promote high school graduation and continued enrollment. The authors of this study analyzed 25 years of research on high school graduation in the United States and identified twelve factors at the individual, family, peer, school, and community levels that promote graduation.