3/2009 - Louisiana's Dropout Problem
 
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Louisiana's Dropout Problem.

1. What is your best estimate of the percentage of Louisiana public high school students who drop out of school before graduating--would you say that it is five percent or fewer, around ten percent, around twenty percent, around one-third, around half, or more than half?

2. Would you favor stricter requirements for high school graduation even if it meant that significantly fewer students would graduate than is now the case?

3. Now I am going to several statements about why students drop out of high school. Please tell me whether you strongly agree, agree, neither agree or disagree, disagree, or strongly disagree with each statement.

Students who drop out of high school lack motivation and discipline, there is little the state can do to help them complete their degree.

4. If students drop out of high school, it is largely the fault of parents who have failed to provide adequate support, discipline or a stable environment at home.

5. Most students who drop out do so because they need to work to support their families and because they can find jobs in their local community that do not require a high school education.

6. Students generally drop out because their local schools are failing due to overcrowding, a lack of discipline, or concerns about the quality of education.

7. Now I am going to read some suggestions for improving the dropout rate in Louisiana. For each item, please tell me whether you strongly approve, approve, disapprove, or strongly disapprove.


Give teachers and principals greater authority to improve discipline in the schools.

8. Fund alternative vocational programs so that students who have trouble with traditional academic programs can learn job skills.

9. Fund alternative “boot camp” style programs to instill discipline in students who regularly miss school or cause discipline problems for teachers and principals.

10. Provide tutoring and other support services for students who are behind grade level or otherwise struggling academically.

11. Impose fines on parents who fail to get their children to school regularly or whose children regular cause discipline problems in the classroom.