LANSING --€” The age at which Michigan teens are allowed to drop out of high school may soon increase.
A Senate bill would require students to remain in school until they turn 18 years old or graduate. Currently, students are allowed to drop out of high school once they turn 16.
“It’s important for students to finish high school in order to succeed in the job market,” said Sen. Liz Brater, D-Ann Arbor, who re-introduced the legislation, which failed to pass last year. “In the next decade, two-thirds of the new jobs available in Michigan will require not only a high school diploma, but also a college degree.”
A similar piece of legislation was recently introduced in the House by 12 members, including Reps. LaMar Lemmons Jr., D-Detroit, LaMar Lemmons III, D-Detroit, and Michael Murphy, D-Lansing. Others include Andy Meisner, D-Ferndale, and Aldo Vagnozzi, D-Farmington Hills.
Rep. Dick Ball, R-Owosso, a member of the House Education Committee and a former local school board member likes the idea of keeping teens in school longer.
“When kids drop out of high school at 16, it puts a real burden on the rest of their life and their ability to get a job where they can raise a family,” said Ball, who isn’t a co-sponsor. “We need to do all we can to encourage young people to get more education.”
Rep. Matthew Gillard, D-Alpena, said “This is definitely a piece of legislation that deserves consideration but I would have to see more data before committing,”
Gillard said it’s important for students to become more educated but not all of them want to. “A lot of times, the kids that drop out at 16 will just drop out at 18 and further drain the public schools,” Gillard said. For the 1999-2000 school year, Michigan graduated 64.8 percent of its students. Thirty-four states had higher graduation rates than Michigan. Between 1990 and 2000, national dropout rates varied from 10.9 to 12.5 percent.
High school graduates earn an average of $6,415 more per year than those who drop out, according to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also, each year’s class of dropouts will, in their lifetimes, cost the United States more than $200 billion in lost earnings and unrealized tax revenue. Dropouts also account for almost half of the nation’s welfare recipients.
Sixteen states already have adopted laws requiring students to be enrolled in high school or an equivalent program until they turn 18.
Michigan law grants students exceptions to staying in school until 16. These include economic hardships, alternative education and vocational education. However, many students lack the opportunity to use these other options since the state’s adult education program funding was cut from $77.5 million to $20 million in 2003.
The ACES Academy in Alpena offers three programs designed to continue peoples’ education, regardless of age. The school has a high school program, an adult education program and a G.E.D program. ACES Academy has about 85 high school students ranging from ages 16 to 19 and about 20 more in its other two programs.
A. J. Stibitz, a school success worker at ACES, said the school experiences a moderate turnover. “Some of our kids may drop put for a semester and then come back,” Stibitz said. “However, I don’t think that many drop out and stay out permanently.”
Stibitz said the school excels due to the small class sizes with students receiving more one-on-one attention and support.
“It’s like a family atmosphere here,” Stibitz said. “It’s a different environment where kids can have a new beginning.”
Karen Schulz, communications consultant with the Michigan Education Association, said many members of the union would support the legislation but the financial aspects would have to be worked out.
“We would have to figure out how the state is going to pay for it,” Schulz said.