An Examination of Compulsory School Attendance Ages and High School Dropout and Completion.

An increasingly popular, but underresearched, initiative aimed at reducing high school dropout is raising the compulsory school attendance age. This study used a national data set from academic years 2001-02 to 2005-06 to examine the grade level at which students drop out, rates of dropout over time, and high school completion by state, region of the country, and compulsory school attendance ages of 16, 17, and 18. Results indicated that the compulsory school attendance age had a small relationship with the timing of dropout but no meaningful relationship with high school graduation. Also, no discernible pattern of reductions in drop-out rates was evident for states that raised their attendance ages. Implications and the effective prevention strategies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]