Texas high school attrition rate drops to historic low, report shows – Houston Public Media

Analysis of Texas High School Attrition Rates and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary: Progress Towards SDG 4 – Quality Education

A recent study by the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) indicates significant progress in Texas towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all. The state’s high school attrition rate has fallen to its lowest point since tracking began in 1986, demonstrating an enhanced “holding power” of educational institutions to retain students until graduation.

• The overall attrition rate for the cohort beginning 9th grade in 2020 was 18%, a historic low.
• This represents a positive trend in fulfilling Target 4.1 of the SDGs, which calls for the completion of free, equitable, and quality secondary education.
• The decline from a peak of 43% in 1997 suggests that long-term strategies to improve student engagement and retention are yielding positive results, particularly in the post-pandemic era.

Addressing SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities in Educational Outcomes

While overall progress is notable, the data highlights persistent challenges related to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The study underscores significant disparities in educational outcomes among different racial and ethnic groups, indicating that equal opportunity in education has not yet been fully realized.

Key Disparity Findings

• The attrition rate for Latino students, while at a historic low of 22%, remains above the state average.
• The attrition rate for Black students returned to its previous low of 23%, also exceeding the state average.
• A critical finding is that both Black and Latino students leave school at approximately twice the rate of their white peers, a systemic inequality that has persisted for nearly four decades.
• Geographical disparities are also evident, with counties like Jefferson County showing a rising attrition rate (30% for Black students), in contrast to statewide and Harris County trends.

These findings point to the “compounding injustices” that disenfranchised students continue to face, directly impacting the achievement of SDG Target 10.3 to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome.

Strategic Interventions for Sustainable Educational Attainment

IDRA identifies several key strategies that align with SDG principles by fostering inclusive, safe, and supportive learning environments. These interventions are critical for building institutional capacity to retain all students and are derived from direct engagement with students, parents, and educators.

1. Reducing Exclusionary Discipline: Promotes just and inclusive institutions, aligning with SDG 16.
2. Limiting Grade Retention: Ensures students progress with their peers, supporting equitable educational pathways.
3. Support for English Learners: A core component of providing inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
4. Robust, Culturally Responsive Curriculum: Increases student engagement and affirms diverse identities, crucial for an inclusive learning environment.
5. Reduced High-Stakes Testing: Alleviates pressure that can contribute to student disengagement and dropout rates.
6. Sufficient and Equitable Funding: The foundational requirement for resourcing all other interventions effectively.

Conclusion: Data-Driven Policy for Future SDG Achievement

The IDRA report provides a critical metric for assessing progress towards educational SDGs. The organization’s unique attrition calculation, which accounts for enrollment changes, offers a more nuanced understanding of school performance than state-reported graduation rates. Despite the record-low attrition rate, the loss of one in five students (equivalent to seven students per hour) represents a significant challenge to achieving SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by limiting the potential of future thought leaders and workers. Continued focus on the identified strategic interventions is essential to close the persistent equity gaps and ensure that every student in Texas has the opportunity to complete a quality secondary education, fully realizing the ambitions of SDGs 4 and 10.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article primarily addresses two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

   • SDG 4: Quality Education: The core subject of the article is the high school attrition rate in Texas, which is a direct measure of the effectiveness and inclusivity of the secondary education system. The entire discussion revolves around students’ ability to complete their high school education, the quality of the school environment, and strategies to improve student retention and graduation.
   • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article places a strong emphasis on the disparities in educational outcomes among different racial groups. It repeatedly highlights that “Black and Latino students in the class of 2024 left school at about twice the rate of white students,” pointing to systemic inequalities within the education system that this goal aims to address.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the article’s focus, the following specific targets can be identified:

   • Target 4.1: Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education.

     The article is centered on the completion of secondary education. The main finding is that “The percentage of Texas high schoolers who left school before graduating dropped to an all-time low last year.” This directly relates to the goal of ensuring all students complete their secondary education.

   • Target 4.5: Eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education… for the vulnerable.

     While the article does not mention gender, it focuses intensely on racial disparities, which falls under ensuring equal access for vulnerable groups. It notes that “longstanding racial disparities in attrition rates remain” and that the attrition rates for Latino (22%) and Black (23%) students are significantly higher than for white students, indicating a failure to provide equal access and opportunity.

   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome.

     This target is addressed through the article’s analysis of unequal educational outcomes. The report’s finding that Black and Latino students leave school at twice the rate of white students is a clear example of an inequality of outcome. The article also points to causes like “exclusionary discipline” and “compounding injustices,” which are practices that this target aims to eliminate to ensure equal opportunity.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   Yes, the article explicitly uses and discusses indicators that measure progress towards these targets:

   • Indicator related to Target 4.1 (Completion Rate):

     The primary indicator used throughout the article is the high school attrition rate. This is the inverse of the completion rate (Indicator 4.1.2). The article provides specific data points, such as the overall attrition rate dropping to an “all-time low of 18% last year.” This quantifiable metric is used to track the “school’s holding power, or a school’s ability to retain students until they are able to successfully graduate.”

   • Indicator related to Target 4.5 and 10.3 (Parity and Equality):

     The article uses disaggregated data to measure inequality, which aligns with Indicator 4.5.1 (Parity indices). It provides specific attrition rates broken down by race: “The attrition rate for Latino students also reached a historic low of 22% last year, and the attrition rate for Black students returned to its previous all-time low of 23%.” By comparing these figures to the rate for white students, the article creates an informal parity index, stating the gap shows that Black and Latino students leave at “about twice the rate of white students.” This disaggregated data serves as a direct indicator of the inequality of outcome discussed in Target 10.3.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators
   SDG 4: Quality Education	Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education.	High School Attrition Rate: The article’s central metric, with a reported all-time low of 18%. This is the inverse of the official SDG indicator 4.1.2 (Completion rate).
   SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate… disparities in education and ensure equal access… for the vulnerable. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome.	Disaggregated Attrition Rates by Race: The article provides specific rates for Latino students (22%) and Black students (23%) and compares them to white students, serving as a measure of parity (Indicator 4.5.1) and inequality of outcome.

Source: houstonpublicmedia.org