Leaving School - Results From a National Survey Comparing School Leavers and High School Graduates 18 to 20 Years of Age - January 1995
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4. The School Experience
Introduction
Schools obviously have no control over some of the factors that may be related to early withdrawal such as family structure and socio-economic status. However, education practices and policies can be changed if elements in the school environment contribute to students leaving before they graduate. And in fact, there are striking differences in the school experiences of leavers and graduates, ranging from their ability to get along with teachers, to interest in and attendance at classes, participation in school activities, friendship networks, and a sense of belonging. The two groups tend to have different perceptions of and reactions to the school environment.
Why Did They Leave?
Leavers' reasons for withdrawing clearly indicate that school experiences influenced their decision. School-related factors were cited as the most important reason for quitting by 41% of the female and 40% of the male leavers (Chart 4-1). These factors include boredom, problems with school work and teachers, and skipping classes.
Work-related considerations more frequently influenced male leavers, while personal or family reasons were cited more often by women (Chart 4-1). Work-related reasons for leaving include preferring work to school and having to work/financial reasons. Personal or family motivations refer to pregnancy/marriage, drug and alcohol problems, problems at home, and sickness/medical conditions.
The School System
A better understanding of school-leaving can be gained from knowledge of the differences between leavers' and graduates' school experiences. These experiences include enjoyment and interest in classes, contact with teachers, reactions to school regulations, participation in school activities, and peer relationships.
Chart 4-1
Most Important Reasons for Leaving by Category
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
A much higher proportion of leavers than graduates (41% compared with 10%) said that overall, they did not enjoy school (Chart 4-2). Not surprisingly, leavers expressed more dissatisfaction with various aspects of their program than did graduates (Chart 4-3). Leavers were more likely to feel that their classes were not interesting (41% compared with 21%); this was especially the case for male leavers, nearly half (46%) of whom were not interested in their classes (Chart 4-4). And while the majority of all students felt that they got along with most of their teachers, over seven times as many leavers (15%) as graduates (2%) reported that they did not (Chart 4-5).
Chart 4-2
Overall, Did You Enjoy School?
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
Chart 4-3
Dissatisfaction With Course Variety, Usefulness and Interest
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
Chart 4-4
Percent Who Found Most Classes Were Not Interesting
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
Chart 4-5
Did You Get Along With Most of Your Teachers?
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
As well, a higher proportion of leavers than graduates were dissatisfied with school regulations (Chart 4-6). About 21% of the leavers felt that the rules were too strict, compared with 15% of the graduates. On the other hand, 12% of the leavers, but just 7% of the graduates, considered school rules too lax. The difference between leavers and graduates was particularly pronounced among men: 36% of male leavers, compared with 22% of male graduates were dissatisfied with school rules.
Chart 4-6
Dissatisfaction With School Rules (Total % Too Loose/Too Strict)
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
Leavers' involvement at school, either in class or in extracurricular activities, was considerably less than that of graduates. The proportion of leavers who felt that they had participated in class less than most other students was more than double the proportion of graduates (23% compared with 10%) (Chart 4-7). Conversely, graduates were more likely than leavers to report above-average class participation (24% versus 10%).
Chart 4-7
Do You Think That You Participated in Class?
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
More than nine out of ten leavers and graduates said that extracurricular activities were offered at their school. But despite the availability of such activities, 45% of the leavers, compared with 27% of the graduates, did not participate in any of them (Chart 4-8).
Not unexpectedly, in light of leavers' dissatisfaction with school and lack of involvement in school activities, they were more likely than graduates to skip classes during their last year of school. Skipping class was not unusual, with the proportion of leavers who had skipped class (75%) considerably above the figure for graduates (59%). The practice was particularly common among male leavers (78%), although female leavers were also more likely than their graduate counterparts to skip classes (70% versus 56%) (Chart 4-9). As well, skipping class tended to accelerate in the last year of school. Fully 64% of leavers who admitted that they had skipped classes reported that they did so more often in their last year of school; this compared with 54% for graduates.
Chart 4-8
Did You Participate in Any Extracurricular Activities?
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
Chart 4-9
Did You Skip Classes?
Friendships
School life consists of more than classes, teachers, and school activities. Friendships can be an important part of the experience, for both social and academic reasons. Friends can exert a "push" or "pull" by encouraging each other to remain in school or by being a force that pulls students away from school.
Overall, there was little difference between leavers and graduates in terms of having close friends at the same school (more than 90% for both groups). The exception was female leavers who were somewhat less likely than female graduates to have close friends at their school.
The story was different for friendships outside school. Over 70% of the male leavers had close friends not attending any school, compared with 45% of male graduates. The difference was less marked among women: 59% versus 41%.
The School Leavers Survey did not directly address the effects of friendships on school departure decisions. However, the Survey did ask respondents to indicate the importance their friends attached to high school completion. Most graduates had friends who strongly supported high school completion, while the friends of leavers were less clearly convinced of the value of a high school diploma.
Fewer than half of the leavers, compared with 80% of the graduates, reported that most of their friends believed completing high school was "very important" (Chart 4-10). Conversely, about 12% of the leavers said that their friends felt that it was not very important to finish high school, whereas this was the case for only 2% of the graduates.
Chart 4-10
Did Most of Your Friends Think That Completing High School Was:
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
Fitting In
Fitting in at school implies a sense of belonging, a feeling of acceptance, and some sort of identification with the school. This feeling can come from a variety of sources such as the school environment, teachers and peers. And despite the relatively large proportions of leavers who, by a number of measures, were having difficulty with the school system, the majority felt that they "fit in." Nonetheless, a significantly higher percentage of leavers than graduates said they did not fit in (14% compared with 5%) (Chart 4-11).
Different Reasons ... Different Experiences
As noted earlier, among both men and women, school-related factors were the leading reason for leaving. However, sizable proportions of leavers pointed to work-related or personal/family reasons (Chart 4-1). Does this mean that those whose motivation for withdrawing was work-related or family/personal had more positive school experiences than those who left primarily for school-related reasons?
Chart 4-11
Did You "Fit In" at School?
Chart 4-12
School Experiences of Graduates Who Never Left, Returners, and Leavers
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
In addition, about 9% of the graduates had considered leaving school but did not. What kept them there? Realizing the value of education and parents/friends talking them into staying were the reasons most frequently given for staying (60% and 31%, respectively).
Any Regrets?
Close to half of all leavers were not happy with their decision to withdraw from school. A smaller proportion of leavers - 29% - were glad that they had left, while 19% had mixed feelings. Men were somewhat more likely than women to be happy about leaving: 32% versus 23% (Chart 4-13).
Chart 4-13
Are You Glad You Left?
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
The reason most frequently given by those who regretted leaving school was that they now recognize the value of an education. Wanting or needing a diploma and not being able to get a good job ranked next as reasons for wishing they had not withdrawn (Chart 4-14).
On the other hand, liking work/earning money and dislike of or boredom with school were the reasons most frequently mentioned by leavers who were happy they had left. About half the leavers who were glad they had withdrawn indicated that they preferred working and earning money, while around a quarter cited dislike for or boredom with school.
Chart 4-14
Why Are You Sorry You Left?
Statistics Canada School Leavers Survey
Summary
Leavers' school experiences tended to be less positive than those of graduates. Indeed, school-related factors were the major reason reported by leavers for withdrawing. On the other hand, recognizing the value of education ranked first as a reason for returning to school, for staying in school, and for being sorry about dropping out.
Thus, many leavers are aware of the value of a high school education, although they have difficulty with the ways in which it must be obtained. Better knowledge of how students interact with the school environment should increase understanding of the practices and policies that could be implemented to encourage students to remain in school until graduation.
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