High School Dropouts: The effect of neighborhood characteristics

Introduction

Dropping out of high school is a serious national, state, and local problem. Students who drop out of high school have fewer options for employment and are at greater risk of low self-esteem. High school dropouts usually end up working low-skilled and low-paying positions with fewer possibilities for advancement. High school dropouts are also more likely to experience health problems and engage in crime than students who graduate from high school.

Much attention has been paid to dropout rates in relation to the characteristics of schools, students, and students' families. There have been few studies to examine dropout rates in relation to the characteristics of neighborhoods in which students reside.

Do characteristics of neighborhoods in which students reside contribute to dropout rates among high school students?

Location

Chatham County, Georgia

Time to complete the lab

Three to four hours

Prerequisites

Familiarity with ArcGIS 10

Familiarity with Microsoft Excel

Data used in this lab

High school dropout rates from the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System

The 2006-2010 American Community Survey data