Variable Graduation Rates among Races - Research Paper Example

? Variable Graduation Rates among Races Motivations and Disincentives The completion of high school is an important moment in an individual’s learning and development, and often provides an indication of future success. Students that graduate from high school are more likely to go on to higher learning, and on average earn higher wages than those who do not graduate. Because of this, examining graduation rates is an effective way of determining how effective the school system is being, and it can also provide key evidence concerning whether school is equally effective for all students, or whether there are demographic differences (Swanson, 2004). America is a culturally diverse nation, and consequently it is important not only to examine the general effectiveness of the school system, but also to determine whether there is any difference between the cultures. Variations in graduation rates between cultures are one way of determining this. Consequently, this report aims to examine the differences in graduation rates between White, Hispanic and Black students, and to attempt to determine some of the driving factors for this variation. Graduation rates from high school are not static across different races, instead they vary significantly. In the United States, for the 2007 to 2008 school year, the average graduation rate for White students across all states was 81.0%. In contrast, for the same period only 63.5% of Hispanic students graduated and 61.5% of Black students (Rampell, 2010). This is a difference of approximately 20% between White students and those of other races. Other observers have also noted a significant difference in graduation rates between the races. A 2003 study observed that graduation rates for Black and Hispanic students were 51% and 52% respectively, while the rates for White students were 72% (Greene & Forester, 2003). This shows that even while graduation rates have increased, the disparity between races remain present. Indeed, both studies show a difference of 20% between the two groups. This suggests that a different approach needs to be taken to close the gap between minority races and White students. These results indicate that White students going to high school have a much greater chance of graduating than either Black or Hispanic students. What drives this difference? Why do racial minorities appear to fare worse in the educational arena than their White counterparts? One argument for why Whites are more likely to graduate school is differences in socioeconomic background. Black and Hispanic children have a higher chance of living in a poor environment than White students (Wilson, 2011). Socioeconomic background can have a significant effect on a student’s ability to work. For example, a child whose family has low income and is often hungry may have difficulty focusing on school work. Additionally, there may be increased pressure for them to find a job rather than finish school, as this would give them a source of income. Furthermore, students from a poor socioeconomic background suffer in other ways, as they tend to have a lower level of access to healthcare, and have a higher chance of living on a broken family, such as having only one parent (Wilson, 2011). This can also affect performance at school and likelihood of remaining in school, as many children in this environment may be dissatisfied with school, or exhibit behavioral problems. Children in single-parent homes also find it significantly more difficult to obtain assistance with homework, as their parents are often busy. Parental assistance can help a child to perform well in school, which in turn can increase their interest in education and thus their likelihood in remaining at school (Suraz-Orozco & Suraz-Orozco, 1995). Thus, socioeconomic background is a strong driver for differences in graduation rates between White American students. However, socioeconomic background is not the only explanation for lower rates of graduation among Black and Latino students, as this trend is still present when examining only students from the same socioeconomic backgrounds. Lower levels of achievement in different racial groups have a strong link to culture, both of the race itself, and of the population in general. Ethnic stereotypes portray people from Hispanic or Black races as being poor students. Research indicates that because of this, students from these races that do perform well are often subject to high levels of bullying. Over time, this has the effect of decreasing student performance, and is also likely to lead to a lower rate of graduation. In contrast, White students who achieved well academically experienced significantly less bullying (Fowler, 2012). Culture of the individual races may also play a significant role. For example, White American families tend to have a strong focus on early childhood education, as well as encouraging their children throughout schooling. This effect is so strong that many White parents use concepts such as music for babies, with the hope that this will increase their capacity to learn. In contrast, other cultures do not embrace educational learning in the same way, and students from these backgrounds often enter schooling with less experience at learning and a lower knowledge of words(Jencks, 2001). Another aspect that influences the rate of graduation between different races is disparity in funding. Students from minority groups and those from poor households often require more assistance or resources to do well at school than others. Consequently, funding needs to be redistributed to take this difference into account, and to help those who currently are under-supported in the education system (Honda, 2011). Finally, the personal perspective is also important for explaining why graduation rates differ significantly between Whites and Blacks or Hispanics. Individuals grow up with a range of different inputs, such as their culture and socioeconomic backgrounds, as discussed above. These factors can have a significant effect on the way that an individual perceives schooling, and their desire to remain in school. There are many factors that can influence an individual to leave school early. These include factors such as the desire to have a paying job, a disinterest in education, a perception that education is not beneficial or a change in life circumstances that prevents the individual from continuing schooling, such as arrest or pregnancy. Based on the evidence discussed above, it appears that students from Black or Hispanic backgrounds are more likely to experience these circumstances and consequently decide to leave school prior to graduation. However, it is worth noting that while Black and Hispanic students may have a decreased chance of graduating that does not mean that all students from these backgrounds are poor students, or have no desire for education. Many Hispanic and Black students do excel at their studies and move onto more advanced education. Nevertheless, one only has to glance at the rates of graduation within the United States to realize that the inequality needs to be addressed. There are significant differences in the rate at which White people graduate from high school in America compared to their Black or Hispanic counterparts, with Black and Hispanic students having an approximately 20% lower graduation rate than White students. The reasons for this difference are varied, and are linked to many factors such as, socioeconomic background, the number of parents in the household, the focus that family puts on education, as well as individual preferences. However, as this report shows, there is no single factor that results in Black and Hispanic students graduating less often than their White counterparts. Consequently, addressing this difference and encouraging Black and Hispanic students to remain in school would involve taking a varied approach that attempts to address a concert of problems. References Fowler, D. (2012). Bullying victims often suffer academically, particuarlly high achieving Blacks and Latinos ASA News: American Sociological Association. Greene, J. P., & Forester, G. (2003). Public high school graduation and college readiness rates in the United States Education Working Paper (Vol. No. 3 September, pp. 1-32): Center for Civic Innovation. Honda, M. (2011). Preserving the american dream. American Educator, 35,(1), 2-4. Jencks, C. (2001). America's next achievement test. The American Prospect. Rampell, C. (2010, June 2). Graduation rates, by state and race, The New York Times. Suraz-Orozco, C., & Suraz-Orozco, M. (1995). Immigration, family life and achievement motivation among Latino adolescents. Swanson, C. B. (2004). Who graduates? Who doesn't? A stastical portrait of public high school graduation, class of 2001. Washingon DC: Urban Insitute. Wilson, W. J. (2011). Being poor, black and American. American Educator, 35,(1), 10-23. Read More