Leaving School - Results From a National Survey Comparing School Leavers and High School Graduates 18 to 20 Years of Age - January 1995

Highlights

The number of high school dropouts and the factors influencing premature school departure are strategic indicators of school system functioning. In light of traditionally high estimates of noncompletion (30%), Employment and Immigration Canada commissioned Statistics Canada to conduct a School Leavers Survey (SLS) to estimate the magnitude of the problem and to identify the circumstances associated with dropping out.

Using the Family Allowance files as the sampling frame, a stratified random sample of 18,000 18-20-year-olds was selected. A computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) administered from April - June, 1991 obtained demographic/background, school experience, and post-school labour market and other outcome measures, along with whether respondents were in school (continuers), had graduated (graduates) or had left before graduating (leavers). A total of 10,782 individuals were traced (60% contact rate), and 9,460 were interviewed (88% response rate). The respondents represent 184,000 leavers, 241,000 continuers and 711,000 graduates.

The term "dropout" has been used to describe all high school non-completers regardless of the reasons or conditions which mark their leaving. It also carries a pejorative or stigmatizing connotation associated with individual failure. Non-completers are, however, a relatively heterogeneous group. They do not fit the stereotypical picture of a dropout, particularly concerning academic achievement. Consequently, the more neutral designation "school leaver" is used to describe the survey findings. The focus of the report is on comparing school leavers with high school graduates.

A number of techniques and data sources used to generate dropout statistics were examined. Taken together, the data indicate that the dropout rate has declined and is much less than the 30% figure usually cited.

The SLS estimates that at the time of the survey 18% of 20-year-old Canadians had not completed high school. The rate for men is higher than for women, 22% compared with 14%. The rates are higher in the eastern provinces and lower in the West and the gap between males and females is greater in the East and less pronounced in the West.

The age and the grade at which students leave without a diploma, however, is surprising. Almost 40% of leavers were age 16 or less when they left school and 32% had Grade 9 education or less.

Leavers were more likely than graduates to come from single and no-parent families, from families who did not think high school completion was very important, and from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Leavers to a greater extent than graduates were married and more had dependent children. Taken together, 69% of leavers (compared with 33% of graduates) came from a 'high risk' background group. The fact that 31% of leavers did not come from the high risk group (10% in fact came from a low risk group) or that 33% of the graduates also came from the high risk group, indicates that there is more to dropping out than family background.

The school experiences of leavers and graduates were also different. Leavers were more likely than graduates to:

report that they did not enjoy school
express dissatisfaction with their courses and school rules
have problems with their teachers
not participate in extracurricular activities
participate less in classes than other students
have friends not attending any school
associate with peers who did not consider high school completion important
not fit in at school
skip classes

Recognizing the value of education was an important reason for staying in school, returning to school, and for regretting dropping out.

School performance differed for leavers and graduates, with leavers more likely to have failed an elementary grade, have lower grade averages, and have difficulty with, or fail, core courses such as mathematics, science and English/French.

The majority of leavers, however, were performing satisfactorily while in school; 37% of them had mainly As and Bs and another 40% were getting by with Cs. Almost 50% of leavers who gave personal or familyrelated reasons for leaving school achieved A or B averages. Individual academic failure is not a factor for these types of leavers.

Despite early failure, lower grade averages, and difficulty or failure in core courses, some students stay or return to graduate at a later time.

Enjoyment of school, interesting classes and class participation influenced school grade averages, especially those of leavers. Graduates were able to achieve top marks, regardless of these factors. For leavers these factors made a great deal of difference. Leavers were almost twice as likely to achieve A and B averages if they enjoyed school, participated in class or thought that their classes were interesting.

Part-time employment was related to school-leaving, with lower leaver rates coming from students who worked less than 20 hours per week during the school year, and higher rates for those who worked long weekly hours, or did not work at all. This relationship existed even when academic performance and positive school experiences were held constant.

Although overall rates are low, leavers were more likely than graduates to engage in deviant behaviours such as regular alcohol consumption, soft and hard drug use.

The labour market and life outcomes of leavers appear to be dismal. Many more leavers than graduates had not taken any further education or training. More leavers than graduates encountered unemployment; worked in blue collar occupations, for men, and service jobs, for women; and experienced long weekly hours. Despite lengthy hours, both leavers and graduates had low incomes, and leavers had greater dependency on unemployment insurance, social assistance, and family allowances. Financial dissatisfaction was high, particularly for leavers.

In light of long work hours, it may be difficult for leavers to escape from their economic and educational circumstances. More leavers than graduates had difficulty filling out job applications and indicated that their basic skills restricted their job opportunities. Leavers revealed more uncertainty about their future career directions than graduates.

Leavers were less involved than graduates in almost all leisure time activities.

The overall picture which emerges from these data, and which will be examined further, is one of cumulative disadvantage. Leavers appear to benefit less from their family backgrounds, school experiences, academic performance, part-time jobs, and social behaviours. Having left school, they are at a further disadvantage regarding employment, income, and life opportunities.

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