Action Research Project Written By Mayra Zendejas March 25, 2014

In the fall of 2009, 4 million students across the country entered the ninth grade, four years later, a third of these students have dropped out of school before attaining a diploma. (Bowen, 2009).

The Pew Hispanic Center report found that 41% of Hispanic adults age 20 and older in the United States do not have a regular high school diploma, compared with 23% of black adults and 14% of white adults. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, almost 20% of Latino males dropped out of high school in 2008, the highest among any demographic in the country. Latinos make up 38 % of California’s population however, only 11 % of Latino adults have earned at least a bachelor’s degree compared to 39% for Whites..

What is the true extent of the dropout problem at the specific school site I am student teaching especially in comparison to other high schools across the country? What are the specific reasons why low- income and minority students are not graduating from high school and/or not entering college? What are specific programs, strategies, and ideas that students, parents, and educators can use in order to prevent students from dropping out and from not entering college?

“The “status dropout rate” represents the percentage of 16-through-24-year olds who are not enrolled in school and have not earned a high school credential (either a diploma or an equivalency credential such a GED certificate).”

Bowen, Gary L. (2009). Preventing School Dropout: The Eco-Interactional Development Model of School Success. The Prevention Researcher. 16(3) Irizarry, Jason G. (2012). Los Caminos: Latino/a Youth Forging Pathways in pursuit of Higher Education. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education Gandara, Patricia. (2010). The Latino Education Crisis. Educational Leadership Gonzalez, Laura M. (2012). College Level Choice of Latino High School Students: A Social-Cognitive Approach. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development Ward, Nadia L. (2006). Improving Equity and Access for Low-Income and Minority Youth Into Institutions of Higher Education. Urban Education

High School Dropout Statistics (US): Total number of high school dropouts annually 3,030,000 Number of high school students who drop out each day 8,300 Percent of Americans with a high school diploma 85.3 % Percent of all drop outs that happen in the ninth-grade 36 % Percent of students who repeat the ninth-grade that go on to graduate 15 % Percent of US crimes that committed by a high school dropout 75 % Amount of money a high school graduate will earn more than a drop out $260,000 Percentage of Hispanic dropouts that were due to a pregnancy 41 % Percent of US jobs a high school dropout is not eligible for 90 %

Hawthorne High School Location: Hawthorne, California Centinela Valley Union High School District Total Enrollment: 1,947 Latino Student Enrollment: 77% Dropout rate: 5.8% Total number of teachers: 115 Teachers with full credentials: 75 Teachers with emergency credentials: 39 Teachers with waivers: 4 Counselors: 6 Grade 12 enrollment: 637 Percentage of grade 12 enrollment taking the SAT: 28.89% Beginning teacher salary: $31369 Mid-range teacher salary: $50596 Highest teacher salary: $64259 Average principal salary: $92,088 Superintendent salary: $600,000+

Teachers Administration Principal Vice principals English Language Learner Development Director Counselors Parents Students

Student observations Questionnaire Discussions Interviews Surveys Focus groups

What grade are you in? 9 th (50%)10 th (32%)11 th (17%)12 th (0.01%) What is your age 15 (70%)16 (20%)17 (10%)18 (0%) Are you a male or female? Male (57%)Female (42%) How many people do you know that have dropped out of school? None (40%)1 (10%)2 (7%) More than 4 (25%) Are you applying to college? Yes (79%)No (15%)Don’t know (6%)

What time are school are you applying to? Community College (6%) Cal State (21%)UC (32%) Not applying (7%) How many people in your family have graduated from HS? None (13%)1-2 (13%)3-4 (14%) More than 5 (60%) How many people in your family have gone to college? None (15%) 1-2 (15%)3-4 (15%) More than 5 (55%) How many people in your family have graduated from college? None (42%) 1-2 (56%)3-4 (2%) More than 5 (0%) How many hours a night do you spend doing homework? 1 (50%)2 (32%)3(17%) More than 4 (0%) What is your GPA? (27%) (58%) (15%) Are your parents supportive? Yes (88%)No (12%)Sort of (0%) Are your teachers supportive ? Yes (38%)No (23%)Sort of (54%)

Among the top answers to why students believed their friends or family members dropped out are: family problems, pregnancy, bad grades, no hope of raising grades/making up credits, bored in school, to get a job and help parents/family, too much work, didn ’ t like/care about school, just gave up, and drugs/gang problems. Are your counselors helpful? Yes (10%)No (88%)Sort of (2%) Do you like school? Yes (8%)No (30%) Sometimes (62%)

Parent/Teacher Relationships Parental Involvement Teacher Training and Development After-School Programs Support Groups, clubs, programs Alternative Education Programs At-Risk Youth Support Career Center School Counselors Peer Mediator Guest Speakers