keep my teen from dropping out of high school

8/14/2019 Keep My Teen From Dropping Out of High School

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Keep My Teen from

Dropping Out of High

School

Compiled by:


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Table of Contents

Respond Appropriately if Your Teen Skips School

Take Action When My Teen Fails a Class

Take Action Now to Keep My Kid in School

Find Educational Options for My At-risk Teen

Help My Pregnant Teen Graduate from High School

Real Life Story: Dropping Out without Falling Through

Why Kids Drop Out of School

What Parents Can Do to Keep a Child from Dropping Out of School

Want a Long, Healthy Life? Stay in School

Have I Lost Touch with My Teen?

How Well Do I Know My Teen's School?

How Likely Is My Teen to Drop Out of School?

www.EduGuide2 ONLINE EDUGUIDE


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Keep My Teen from Dropping Out of High SchoolDo I need this EduGuide?

Yes, you definitely need this guide if your high school student is failing classes, skipping school, getting in trouble, or becoming

frustrated with or uninterested in school.

How does it work?

l Quizzes help you know where you stand.

l Articles give you the background information you need to make a decision.

l Real Life Stories tell the experiences of real parents and real kids.

l ShortCuts help you take immediate action. Choose one or go through them all.

What will I learn from this EduGuide?

l How to stay involved with your teens education

l Why kids drop out and how to keep your teen in school

l What to do if your teen fails a class or skips school

l What alternative education can offer your teen

Quick Solutions

l What can I do in fifteen minutes? Take one of the quizzes in this EduGuide to evaluate how connected you and your teen are to

your kids school.

l What can I do in an hour? Read and discuss with your teen the ShortCut that applies most closely to his or her situation.



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Respond Appropriately if Your Teen Skips SchoolEven the best students skip class occasionally. (Cmonyou did it, too.) But regularly skipping school puts your teen at risk of failing

or dropping out. Skipping school could also indicate a psychological or substance abuse problem. If you suspect that your teen is

skipping school regularly, take the following steps:

l Find out whats happening. You need to know three things: why your teen is skipping, how often he or she is doing it, and what

your teen is doing outside of school. Kids sometimes skip school when something stressful or unpleasant is going on atschool or at home. They also skip when they are unprepared for exams, bored, or testing their independence. Then again,

some teens are simply partying with friends who are also skipping.

l Call the school and ask about absences. Check the absences on your childs report card to make sure you can account for all

of them. Ask his or her teachers if there are any unexcused absences.

l Ask your teen whats going on in open-ended, neutral language, for example, I understand youve been skipping school. We

need to talk about it. Or You seem distracted and your grades are slipping. Can you tell me whats going on or how youredoing?

l Tighten the leash. Let your teen know that you expect him or her to be in school and that youll be checking with the school

regularly. Ask the school to alert you if your child is absent. Drive him or her to school if necessary.

l Schedule an appointment with your teen and the school guidance counselor if you think the situation is more serious or you

need more support. You can discuss why your teen is skipping school, what kinds of help or resources are available to help,and how you can work with the school to make sure he or she gets the necessary education.



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Take Action When My Teen Fails a ClassFailing a class isnt the end of the world, but its important to determine whether the failure is an isolated screw-up or a symptom of a

broader academic struggle. Either way, the problem needs to be addressed.

l Is failing a class a rare event for your teen? Maybe he or she didnt study hard enough or missed a key assignment. Treat the

failure as a life lesson and let him or her take responsibility for it. Your child should talk to the teacher and the guidance

counselor to find out how to make up the material or patch up his or her grade point average. Just make sure your teen doessomething. If you go attend these sessions, let your child do the talking.

l What are your teens goals (to graduate, make money, learn a skill, go to college)? Help him or her articulate them. What can

your kid do to attain them? Whats holding him or her back (lack of discipline, impulsiveness, boredom, feeling overwhelmed

academically)?

l Whats the big picture? If your teen is struggling academically, talk with the teacher first to find out why he or she failed, and

then talk with the school administration and guidance counselor. Would another educational approach, such as a tech schoolor magnet school, be more appropriate for his or her interests, ability, and learning style? Would tutoring help? To find out if

your qualify for free tutoring, read Public School Policy: No Child Left Behind Offers Free Tutoring to Some Students .

l What else is going on in your teens life? A temporary drop in grades often follows a move or transition to high school. To help

your child make a smooth transition, read Parent Involvement Essential to Successful Middle School Transition to High

School.

l Other life events, such as parental divorce, death of a friend or family member, or breaking up with a girl- or boyfriend, can

distract a student from school. Monitor your childs grades and school attendance to make sure the drop is temporary. A

student should begin improving after a semester. Much longer, and teens risk falling too far behind or inflicting too much

damage to their grade point averages to recover.

l Do you need to adjust your parenting style to meet your teens needs? If you tend to be relaxed about rules and boundaries,

try tightening up. Impose a curfew on school nights or turn off the TV and the Internet until homework is done. Review

homework every night or at the end of the week and touch base with teachers every week or two to make sure your kid is

keeping up. On the other hand, if you tend to be rigid and anxious about your teens behavior, trying lightening up. While you

need to make sure his or her grades improve, your kid needs to know that you recognize his or her strengths andachievements and that he or she has your love and approval no matter what.

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/Middle-School-Transition-High-School-2288.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/Free-Tutoring-for-Qualifying-Families-1317.aspx


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Take Action Now to Keep My Kid in SchoolMaybe you missed the calls from school. Maybe the school didnt communicate clearly. Maybe a long, difficult academic struggle has

finally become a crisis. Whatever the reason, your teen is on the verge of failure or says that hes decided he is dropping out. How do

you respond?

l Get a grip. Take a deep breath. Count to ten. Avoid blaming yourself, your kid, or the school. Youll be able to communicate

better with your child and the school without pointing fingers. If you are worried about losing your temper, this ShortCut offerssome good tips on communicating with a teen under pressure: How to Fight Fair with Your Teen.

l Get the facts, if possible. Dont browbeat or nag, but try to find out whats in your kids head. Use open-ended comments such

as Tell me more or I need more information

l Ask a counselor or an objective adult that you (and, with luck, your teen) trust to participate in the discussion if you cant talk

productively with your teen. (See the ShortCuts Find a Middle and High School Professional You Can Trust and Get Help

from a Mentor.)l Call the school to set up a meeting with the administration. Prepare ahead of time. What do you want to accomplish? What

will the next steps be? Be prepared to listen without becoming hostile. (See the ShortCut Be a Strong Advocate for My At-risk

Teen.)

l Explore options. Would a different type of high school education be better for your teen? Talk to your schools guidance

counselor to find out what options the district offers. (See the ShortCut Find Educational Options for My At-risk Teen.)

l Include your teen. Teens must be active participants in any decision about their future because they are the major

stakeholders and need to own the solution.

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2346/Educational-Options-for-At-Risk-Teen.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2348/Advocate-for-My-At-Risk-Teen.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2145/Get-Help-from-a-Mentor.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/School-Professional-Trust-2176.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/2128/Fight-Fair-with-Your-Teen.aspx


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Find Educational Options for My At-risk TeenIf your teen is struggling in school or at risk of quitting altogether, exploring other types of schooling may keep him or her in school or

on a new course. Here are some of the options:

l Tech prep programs. High schools may offer these hands-on courses or have arrangements with a nearby college to provide

training in a variety of trades. Tech prep is an excellent option for kids who learn by doing. The high school guidance counselor

should be aware of options within the school district or at local community colleges.

l Career academies. Similar to tech prep programs, career academies are often small schools-within-a-school that train

students in real-world skills. Career academies are usually located in the high school.

l Magnet schools. Magnet schools can provide an exceptional education with a diverse student body. The schools curricula

may focus on a theme, such as the environment or the arts (see our article about an exemplary magnet school in Detroit

Urban Magnet School Combines Technology with High School Academics).

l Charter schools. Charter schools have more flexibility to experiment in fact, they are often started by parents or educatorsseeking a different educational model. Talk to the high school guidance counselor or search for schools anywhere in the

country at the U.S. Department of Educations school search Web site. Many districts also list alternative schools on their Web

sites.

l Service learning. Service learning connects education with meaningful youth community service. Building a Habitat for

Humanity home, for example, helps a kid learn construction skills while interacting with caring adults and improving thecommunity. For more information on service learning, read Service Learning: More Than Just Community Service

Opportunities.

l Alternative schools. Every district has themsmall, separate high schools for at-risk students. They focus on personal

attention and keeping kids in school. Your guidance counselor is the best source of information about alternative schools.

l GED programs. The GED (General Educational Development) test is a series of five exams that test the basic knowledge a

high school graduate should have. Again, talk to a high school counselor to find out about test sites as well as classes or

workshops to help prepare for the test. Visit the official site for information about the GED.

l Tutoring. Maybe your teen just needs an extra boost to make it over some academic hurdles or improve his or her confidence.

You might qualify for free tutoring (see Public School Policy: No Child Left Behind Offers Free Tutoring to Some Students ).l Online courses. Find information on online courses in Online Classes Reach Out to Students of All Learning Types.

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/Online-Classes-for-all-Learning-Types-1476.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/Free-Tutoring-for-Qualifying-Families-1317.aspxhttp://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=GED_TShttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/Service-Learning-Helps-Teens-Learn-1444.aspxhttp://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schooLSearch/http://www.eduguide.org/Parents-Library/high-school-academics-magnet-success-682.aspx


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Real Life Story: Dropping Out without Falling ThroughHow One Mom Changed Her Son's Image of the World and His Place in It

Kate Convissor

Steve was only a few weeks into seventh grade when I got the call: He was being suspended for three days for fighting. The call wasnt

unexpected, but the suspension was. Steve had never liked school. Every year he stalked into the classroom, surly and stubborn.

Every year I would get a call. He doesnt cause trouble, exactly, his teachers would say. He just doesnt do anything hes asked.

Eventually I put words to it: oppositional behavior. Steve was smart and inquisitive he could figure out how things worked, and he had

a good heart, but he was determined to do what he wanted at his own pace.

A suspension for fighting was a new low, however. Ever since the switch to middle school, Steve had struggled to find his niche on the

social food chain. This latest infraction was an attempt to fit in with the crowd he had identified as cool.

What are we going to do? I wailed.

We could just leave, my husband joked.

It was as though a key turned in a lock. I could almost hear the click. Crazy as it seemed, a radical change appealed to me deeply,

and I thought it might do the trick for Steve, too. Steve and Julia, his ten-year-old sister, were the only children left at home. Both my

husband and I were self-employed. The time seemed right.

So we left. We sold our house and cottage, the back forty and the fine china. We bought a monster truck and a trailer that had tiny bunk

beds in the rear. A year later, on September 19, 2000, we hit the road.

We didnt have a plan. We didnt want to exchange one harried life for another, one set of deadlines and obligations for new ones we

didnt want to see all the state capitols or national parks. Steve had been reading The Black Pearland wanted to visit La Paz, Mexico,

where the book is set. That seemed as good a place as any to spend the winter, and it was as close as we came to an itinerary.

For the next year and a half we meandered through the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. We did visit some national parks and state capitols,

but mostly we stuck to byways and back roads. We traveled the length of Highway 1 in Baja California, Mexico, and stayed a month in

lovely La Paz. We followed the migration of the gray whale up the west coast of the U.S. and spent another month on Vancouver Island.

We meandered through British Columbia, along the Rockies, and down the Rio Grande. We visited New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

before the devastation of Katrina and wound our way back up the Mississippi River and east along the Natchez Trace, stopping at the

birthplace of the blues in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and of Elvis in Tupelo.

The trip was a magical, transformative experience, and it gave the kids a far richer education than they could have gotten at a desk in

school. But there were some unexpected effects as well.

For one thing, since we were completely disconnected from all electronic crutchesno TV, no Internet, not even a cell phonethe kids

were forced to entertain themselves. They learned to read for pleasure, and they devoured books. Boxes of them. We stormed used

bookstores throughout the country and begged relatives to send more.

They built a palm-frond shelter (a palapa) at one camping spot in Mexico and a debris hut at another in Indiana. Steve lashed

driftwood together to make six-foot stilts at our winter campground on the Gulf Coast and became adept at stalking through the dunes

like a crane.

In Texas, he spent the night alone at the top of Guadalupe Peak, kayaked down the Rio Grande, and started an RV-washing business



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in Castroville.

The kids learned about astronomy when we visited national observatories, but they also saw the dazzle of the night sky in the pitch

black of open desert. They learned about geography and land forms and rocks and fossils. They identified the creatures that live in

tidal pools, oceans, rivers, forests, and deserts. Today I saw a manta ray, an eel, a whale, and a starfish, Julia said once with a

satisfaction I totally understood. And it wasnt even noon yet.

They became kids again. On the cusp of adolescence, we snatched back a few more months of childhood. They fought, of course, but

they also played together like children. Once, camped by a backwater of the Arkansas River just as twilight fell, I became aware that my

kids were laughing. They were playing blindmans bluff in the soft dark, and they were laughing the full-throated laughter of childhood. I

hadnt heard that sound from them in a while.

But then, we all became kids again. We were wandering through a natural wonderland, encountering new and marvelous things every

day. We all recaptured a childlike ability to play, to learn effortlessly, and to live in the moment.

When we returnedto the same state, but to a different community, the kids reentered school at their grade levels. While the trip didnt

magically make Steve a model student or change his recalcitrant attitude, it did change his image of the world and of himself in it.Steve spent his junior year as an exchange student in New Zealand, and managed to graduate, not without prodding, with his class

the following year. He said to me once, Im not sure what would have happened if we hadnt gone on the road, but I dont think I would

have done well.

Certainly, this isnt a solution for everyone, but it does illustrate that there are many approaches to educating our children. Rather than

continue slogging down an academic path that clearly isnt working, it might help to think outside the box. What are your childs

strengths and weaknesses, personally and academically? What environment might appeal to his learning style? What creative

approach might succeed? I found that when we approached them positively, school personnel were willing to work with us. They gave

us curriculum suggestions and books for the road and accommodated our unorthodox situation when we got back. Many teacherseven admired the experience the kids had had. One lesson I learned from the trip is that it is possible to do more than I ever imagined.Its a lot more fun to explore possibilities than to live with limitations.



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Why Kids Drop Out of SchoolSix Risk Factors

Kate Convissor

Teens drop out of school for many reasons, and the decision to drop out is rarely spur of the moment. Kids usually drop out of school

following a long process of disengagement and academic struggle. Many teens say they were bored and frustrated with classes that

didnt seem relevant to their life. Or they felt they had fallen so far behind they eventually gave up hope. Teens report that no one really

cared about their school experience, or they felt subtly pushed out by school staff who perceived them as difficult or dangerous.

What is absolutely predictable is that many kids who dont finish high school do poorly in life. Without a high school diploma they will

have a harder time finding a job, and they will earn much less when they do find one (about a million dollars less over a lifetime). They

are more likely to have poor health, to live in poverty, and to have children at an early age, who in turn are also more likely to drop out of

school. Nationally, seventy percent of inmates in prison didnt graduate from high school.

While the reasons kids drop out vary, the following are six important risk factors:

1. Academic difficulty and failure. Struggling in school and failing classes is one of the main reasons teens drop out, and this

pattern often shows up early. Students who fail eighth grade English or math, for example, are seventy-five percent more likely

to drop out of high school.

2. Poor attendance. Teens who struggle in school are also absent a lot, and along with academic failure, absenteeism is animportant future predictor for dropping out. As with the previous example, students who are absent for twenty percent of their

eighth grade year (one day per week) are also highly likely to drop out in high school.

3. Being held back (retention). Linked to academic difficulty, students who are held back and who are older than the kids in their

grade also tend to drop out.

4. Disengagement from school. Many kids who drop out say that school was boring and teachers did little to connect learning toreal life. They didnt feel invested in their school and they didnt feel that adults seemed interested in them or their high school

experience.

5. Transition to a new school. A poor transition from the smaller, more protected environment of middle school to the anonymity

of a high school can cause a teen to have difficulty catching upand some kids never do.

6. Other life factors. Pregnancy, family problems, and financial difficulties are all factors that distract a student from schoolworkand make keeping up more challenging.

The good news is that dropping out is easily prevented. Most teens who drop out had at least passing grades, and these kids say that,

with some help, they could have completed high school. Parents who are involved in their kids education often make the difference

between academic success and failure. Kids do better when their parents care: when parents make sure their kids get to school and

are progressing well and when parents communicate their expectations for success. If problems arise, involved parents have laid a

solid foundation for dealing with them.

Start early to prevent high school dropouts. Read the article Seven Middle School Ideas to Stay Ahead for Parents for tips.

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/Library/Detail/tabid/304/id/206/Middle-School-Ideas-for-Parents.aspx


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What Parents Can Do to Keep a Child from Dropping Out of SchoolDeborah Leuchovius

Students who drop out of school face a difficult future. They are more likely to be unemployed, incarcerated, or impoverished than high

school graduates. However, families can play an important role in keeping their teens in school and making sure they graduate.

Family involvement is one of the most important contributors to school completion and high school success. The most accurate

predictor of a students school achievement is the extent to which his or her family encourages learning. Success is more likely if the

family communicates high yet reasonable expectations for the childs future career and becomes involved in his or her education.

Students who actively participate in and identify with their school are more motivated to stay in school and more likely to graduate thanthose who are not involved with their school. After-school and extracurricular activities can be an effective way of engaging students

who find academics frustrating.

Teens Need Adults Who Care

Many students who drop out feel that teachers, administrators, and others are not interested in them (Grobe, Niles, & Weisstein,

2001). Caring, knowledgeable adults can establish a climate of trust and support that lets teens know someone is paying attention.

These adults can be teachers, counselors, mentors, caseworkers, community members . . . who understand and deeply care about

youth and provide significant time and attention (James & Jurich, 1999, p. 340).

Tips for Parents: Help Students Succeed in School

Reading, writing, and math skills are the foundation for learning in all subjects. One of the most important things parents can do is

help their children build these skills in their elementary school years.

For Middle School Students

The transition from elementary school to middle school is traumatic for many students and their families (Wells, 1989). Let your child

know that you value education as important to his or her future and take the following steps

l Set aside time for homework every day, even if your child doesnt have any on a particular day.

l Make sure your child completes homework. Find out if your school district has a homework hotline students can call for help.

l Limit the time your child watches television and plays video games to no more than one or two hours each day.

l Talk to your child about school problems and achievements every day.

l Help your child use problem-solving skills in difficult situations at home and at school. Praise good behavior.

l Know your childs friends and their families.

l Let teachers know that you want to be contacted immediately if your child has problems with homework or behavior.

l If your child is struggling, seek help. Parents and other adults can reduce the likelihood of dropping out if they take steps tohelp teens cope with their problems.

For High School Students

To help make sure your teen graduates from high school, try the following tips, which are based on current dropout prevention

research.

l Maintain contact with your teens teachers throughout high school.

l Monitor school attendance. If your child is skipping school, it may be a warning sign that he or she is having trouble.



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l Encourage your teen to seek out extracurricular activities or employment to develop positive relationships and have success

outside of a classroom setting. Many schools provide after-school and summer programs that cultivate new interests.

Encourage your child to participate in at least one extra-curricular activity at school. These activities can help your child feel part

of the group, important to the school, and more motivated.

l Help your child explore career options and find out what kind of education is needed to be successful in those careers.

l Let your teen know that individuals who earn a high school diploma are likely to earn twice as much each year compared tothose who dont have a high school diploma or equivalency.

l Help your child establish graduation as a priority. Keep track of the credits he or she needs to graduate.

l Identify postsecondary goals. The most important questions to ask are What interests your child? and What is your child good

at? Postsecondary technical training or two-year community college programs are appropriate paths to meeting employment

goals. If attending a four-year college is the way to reach your teens vocational goal, put steps in place to make this happen.

When Theres a Problem

If your child is not doing well or is beginning to have behavioral problems in school, consider these steps:

l In some cases, a tutor can help a student who has fallen behind or who has missed important concepts.

l Sometimes, a childs personality may clash with that of the teacher or another student. Meet directly with the teacher to

determine if there is a problem or misunderstanding. In some cases, everyone may benefit if you request that your child be

transferred to a different classroom.

l Monitor your teens attendance and school performance. Periodically check in with his or her teachers to find out how things

are going.

l Concentrate on your childs goals instead of focusing on why he or she is unsuccessful in school. Have your child identify

goals develop a list of school, home, and personal barriers to reaching those goals and devise strategies to overcome the

barriers.l If you suspect your child has a problem with drugs or alcohol, contact the school guidance counselor or a substance abuse

counselor, help line, or an appropriate organization for information and advice.

l Consider alternative school settings. Options include magnet schools, alternative schools, charter schools, work-based

learning programs, career academies, and general educational development (GED) programs. Include your teen in all

discussions with school personnel.

Conclusion

Graduating from high school is a cornerstone of future success. By staying involved, focusing on individual strengths, finding the right

school setting, and holding high expectations, parents can help their teenagers graduate and prepare for successful adulthood.

Abstracted from a report by Deborah Leuchovius, published on The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) Web site .

Additional Resources

l National Dropout Prevention Center

l Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk (CRESPAR)

l PACER Center

References

Grobe, T., Niles, J., & Weisstein, E. (2001). Helping all youth succeed: Building youth development systems in our communities . Boston: CommonwealthCorporation.

James, D. W., & Jurich, S. (Eds.). (1999). More things that do make a difference for youth: A compendium of evaluations of youth programs and practices:

Vol. II. Washington, DC: American Youth Policy Forum.

Wells, A. S. (1989). Middle school educationThe critical link in dropout prevention. Gilbert, AZ: adoption.com.

http://library.adoption.com/articles/middle-school-education-the-critical-link-in-dropout-prevention.htmlhttp://www.aypf.org/publications/compendium/comp02.pdfhttp://www.pacer.org/http://www.csos.jhu.edu/crespar/http://www.dropoutprevention.org/http://www.ncset.org/


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Want a Long, Healthy Life? Stay in SchoolHealth Linked to Education Level, Says Issue Brief from the Commission to Build aHealthier America

Sara jo Schwartz

A September 2009 report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundations Commission to Build a Healthier America points to mountains

of evidence that links years of schooling with better personal health and wellness. Here are examples from two studies: college grads

live at least five years longer than non-high-school graduates 26.7 percent of white non-Hispanic college graduates rate their health

as less than very good versus 69.4 percent of white non-Hispanic high-school dropouts who do.

Not only are better-educated people healthier than less educated ones, but the children of people with more education are healthier,too. For instance, babies of mothers who are high school dropouts are twice as likely to die before the age of one as are the babies of

college grads children whose parents dropped out of high school are six times more likely to be in poor or fair health than are the kids

of parents who graduated from college.

The report describes three ways education level links to health: health knowledge and behaviors, employment and income, and social

and psychological factors. Lets take a look at each category.

Health Knowledge and Behaviors

Common sense suggests that the more people know and the clearer they think, the better their health choices will be. Sure enough,

research has found that greater educational attainment has been associated with healthful eating, getting exercise, and avoiding risk

factors such as drinking excessively and smoking. In addition, better-educated people are quicker to change risky health behaviors in

response to new evidence than less-educated people are.

Employment and Income

We all know that more education is the key to higher wages, but the actual numbers are quite startling. According to U.S. Census

Bureau information, high school graduates lifetime earnings (in 1999 dollars) are $1.2 million, compared with $2.1 million for collegegraduates and $4.4 for those with professional degrees. A comfortable income helps people get the health care they need when they

need it. Wealthier people are also able to live in safer neighborhoods with access to recreational facilities and other services,

including grocery stores stocked with reasonably priced, healthful food.

Low-wage workers, on the other hand, have fewer resources to cope with medical, child-care, and other day-to-day difficulties.

Understandably, they experience greater stress as a result. They also live in more dangerous neighborhood with fewer parks, well-

stocked grocery stores, and other health-enhancing features.

Social and Psychological Factors

Studies reveal that better-educated people feel more control over their lives than less-educated people do. This sense of control

encourages skills and habits such as problem solving and perseverance that lead to better health care and outcomes. More

education is also linked to higher social standing, another factor strongly associated with better health. Social support is yet another

way that education is related to health. People with more education have greater social support, both emotional and practical, andgreater social support is linked to better physical and mental health.



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The report concludes that education is the key to better health and a longer life for parents, kids, and generations to come. For details,

and to learn more, visit the Commission to Build a Healthier America. Read the Issue Brief: Education Matters for Health.

Sara jo Schwartz is a education writer and editor based in Grand Haven, Michigan.

http://www.commissiononhealth.org/PDF/c270deb3-ba42-4fbd-baeb-2cd65956f00e/Issue%20Brief%206%20Sept%2009%20-%20Education%20and%20Health.pdfhttp://www.commissiononhealth.org/


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Due to the dynamic nature of our quizzes, they are only available on the web. Follow the addresses below to take a quiz on our

website.

Have I Lost Touch with My Teen?

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/TakeQuiz/tabid/114/quizId/48/view/StepTakeQuiz/Default.aspx

How Well Do I Know My Teen's School?

http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/TakeQuiz/tabid/114/quizId/49/view/StepTakeQuiz/Default.aspx

How Likely Is My Teen to Drop Out of School?http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/TakeQuiz/tabid/114/quizId/50/view/StepTakeQuiz/Default.aspx
http://www.eduguide.org/Parents/TakeQuiz/tabid/114/quizId/50/view/StepTakeQuiz/Default.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/TakeQuiz/tabid/114/quizId/49/view/StepTakeQuiz/Default.aspxhttp://www.eduguide.org/Parents/TakeQuiz/tabid/114/quizId/48/view/StepTakeQuiz/Default.aspx

keep my teen from dropping out of high school

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