<p>I have been amazed to find out about the kids of friends who did not finish high school. We are talking about middle-class, white kids who speak English as their first language. NO excuse not to graduate!</p>
<p>We passed in my state recently requiring students to stay in school or in an alternative program until they are 18. They could previously drop out at 16. It appears that the graduation rate is on the radar of Governors around the country and that they are trying to do something about it. I don’t know how effective it is just passing a law because you put kids that don’t want to be there with other kids that want to learn.</p>