IDRA Study: Texas High Schools Reach All-Time Low Attrition Rate but Still Lose 80,000 Students

Any report out of the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) on attrition and dropout rates is always the most authoritative in our state due to their consistency in measures over the years. It's shocking to consider, as they note, that "In the last 33 years, Texas schools have lost a cumulative total of more than 4 million students from public high school enrollment prior to graduation."

Disproportionately impacting the Black and Latina/o/x youth, IDRA identified six school policies that lead to higher dropout rates as outlined in their infographic:

• Exclusionary Discipline
• In-grade Retention
• Low Funding and Insufficient Support for English Learners
• Unfair and Insufficient Funding
• Watered-Down, Non-College Prep Curricula
• Testing that is High-Stakes

To this list, I would add the lack of access to Ethnic Studies courses considering that students taking such courses are less likely to drop out of school (e.g., Cabrera et al., 2012). 

Thanks to our friends and colleagues at IDRA for doing this critical work. Check out additional resources they provide below. You can download the IDRA study here [pdf]. 

-Angela Valenzuela

Reference

Cabrera, N.L., Milem, J.F., & Marx, R.W. (2012). An empirical analysis of                     the effects of Mexican American Studies participation on student                     achievement within Tucson Unified School District [pdf].

 

Attrition and Dropout Rates in Texas

IDRA Study Gives a First Look at the Pandemic’s Effect on Attrition Rates

Texas public schools are losing one out of five students.

Each year, IDRA releases its attrition study. Attrition rates are an indicator of a school’s holding power, or the ability to keep students enrolled in school and learning until they graduate. Key findings from the latest study show the following.

• Texas is failing to graduate one out of every five students – which translates to losing 10 students per hour.
• The statewide attrition rate is 19%, meaning 19% of the freshman class of 2017-18 left school prior to graduating in the 2020-21 school year.
• At this rate, Texas will not reach universal high school education for another almost two decades in 2039.
• Schools are twice as likely to lose Latino students and Black students as white students before they graduate.
• In the last 33 years, Texas schools have lost a cumulative total of more than 4 million students from public high school enrollment prior to graduation.
• 125 counties had improved attrition rates since last year, 85 counties had higher attrition rates and 19 counties remained the same.

See reporter FAQs and resources regarding attrition and dropout data (and downloadable graphics)

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Quick Links to IDRA’s Attrition Study Stories and Resources

News Release: Texas High Schools Reaches All-Time Low Attrition Rate, but Still Loses 80,000 Students – IDRA Study Gives a First Look at the Pandemic’s Effect on Attrition Rates – See news release

Attrition Study: Texas Public School Attrition Study 2020-21 – See pdf

Infographic: Texas public schools are losing one out of five students – See infographic

Infographic: 8 Types of Dropout Data Defined – See infographic page

Infographic: 6 Policies and Practices that Lead to Higher Dropout Rates – See infographic page

Trend graphs: See attrition rates and numbers over the last 10 years – Look up your county

Article: Preview of IDRA’s 36th Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study – A First Look at the Pandemic’s Effect on Attrition Rates – See article

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Additional Resources

Report: College Bound and Determined – A report profiling what happens when a school district raises expectations for students instead of lowering them

Book: Courage to Connect: A Quality Schools Action Framework

Overview of the Valued Youth Partnership program, which keeps 98 percent of students in school (PDF)

Ideas and Strategies for Action