'High school dropout crisis' continues in U.S., study says

... Researchers for the study analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Surveys, household data from the Current Population Survey, national data on GED certificate awards and other official sources to examine the problem at the national level and in the nation's 12 largest states: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

Men and blacks and Hispanics of both genders are among those particularly prone to dropping out of high school.

"As these data show, this dropout crisis is disproportionately affecting America's communities of color," said Marc Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League. "Youth from all communities deserve an equal chance at educational success."

Among the findings in the report, "Left Behind in America: The Nation's Dropout Crisis:"

Nearly one in five U.S. men between the ages of 16 and 24 (18.9 percent) were dropouts in 2007.

Nearly three of 10 Latinos, including recent immigrants, were dropouts (27.5 percent).

More than one in five blacks dropped out of school (21 percent). The dropout rate for whites was 12.2 percent.

The dropout situation at the state level was similarly widespread:

More than one in 10 people ages 16 to 24 years old had dropped out of high school in each of the 12 states surveyed.

More than one in five 16- to 24-year-olds were dropouts in Florida and Georgia.

California had the most dropouts of any state (710,000), with a 14.4 percent dropout rate among 16- to 24-year-olds.

Georgia had the highest dropout rate for this population at 22.1 percent.

The report emphasized the importance of having at least a high school education.