Focus on Boosting U.S. High School Graduation Rates

An October 29, 2007 article from The Associated Press reports that approximately 1,700 high schools in the United States have graduation rates of 60% or less. Sometimes referred to as 'dropout factories,' the majority of these schools seem to be located in either large cities or low-income rural areas of the South and Southwest. In many cases, outside factors (such as students working to support the family, or a need for social services) contribute to the high dropout rate. Some members of Congress are proposing revisions to the No Child Left Behind law, which would place more emphasis on high school student performance levels and graduation rates.

The article is available at the MSNBC Web site.