Increase Dropout Age/Completion Indicator
The proposed changes will amend existing statutes regarding school attendance and the responsibilities of parents and guardians to ensure their children's attendance. Specifically, G.S. 115C-378 which governs school attendance will be revised to extend the required school age. Moreover, the bill introduces new obligations for the State Board of Education and the State Board of Community Colleges to share data that pertains to students who leave school prior to graduation. This aims to facilitate better tracking of dropout rates and the effectiveness of programs aiming at student retention and completion.
House Bill 206, titled 'Increase Dropout Age/Completion Indicator,' introduced by Representatives Elmore, Clemmons, Lambeth, and Setzer, aims to gradually raise the compulsory school attendance age in North Carolina to 18 over a five-year period. The bill sets specific milestones for raising the dropout age, with the first increase to 16 years and six months occurring for the 2024-2025 school year, followed by subsequent increases until the age reaches 18 by the 2027-2028 school year. In addition to changing the dropout age, the bill establishes a new completion rate indicator intended to positively impact school performance grades based on student outcomes involving graduation rates and equivalency diplomas.
The sentiment surrounding HB 206 is generally supportive among proponents who advocate for higher educational attainment and the benefits of keeping youth in schools longer. Advocates argue that raising the dropout age will reduce the number of uneducated young adults entering the workforce and thereby improve the overall economic health of the state. However, there are concerns from some quarters about the practicality of the law, especially in terms of enforcing attendance and addressing underlying social issues that lead to student dropouts.
Notable points of contention involve how effective raising the dropout age will actually be in improving educational outcomes. Critics question whether simply extending the mandatory schooling age will address deeper educational disparities and whether it might lead to increased tensions between schools, parents, and students. Additionally, there are discussions about the resources required to support this legislation, including tracking and data management systems that can handle the additional student attendance information and the integration of completion rates into school performance assessments.