Skip Navigation
Illustration/Logo View Quarterly by  This Issue  |  Volume and Issue  |  Topics
Education Statistics Quarterly
Vol 2, Issue 3, Topic: Elementary and Secondary Education
High School Dropouts, by Race/Ethnicity and Recency of Migration
 
 
This article was originally published as an Indicator of the Month, taken from The Condition of Education: 1999. The sample survey data are from the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS).
 

As a whole, Hispanics drop out of high school at higher rates and attain lower levels of education than non-Hispanics. The relative recency of migration among Hispanics may at least partially account for this trend. Evidence of the undereducation of Hispanics has implications for developing retention strategies as well as for assessing the educational and training needs of the population. The status dropout rate for an age group (the percentage of that age group that is not enrolled in school and has not completed high school) is one measure of dropping out.
  • In 1997, a greater percentage of Hispanics than non-Hispanics ages 16-24 were born outside the United States (figure 1). Among this group, the status dropout rate (39 percent) was higher than it was among first- and later-generation Hispanics (15 and 18 percent, respectively) (table 1). First- and later- generation Hispanics were two to three times more likely than their non-Hispanic peers to drop out.
  • In 1997, the percentage of 25- to 34-year-olds who were dropouts was lower than it was in 1989 or 1979. Similar changes are occurring for all groups. The gaps in dropout rates between non-U.S.-born, first-generation, and later-generation Hispanics and comparable non-Hispanics were generally similar in 1979, 1989, and 1997 (table 2 and figure 2).

Figure 1. - Percentage distribution of 16- to 24-year olds, by race/ethnicity and recency of migration: 1997

Figure 1. - Percentage distribution of 16- to 24-year olds, by race/ethnicity and recency of migration: 1997

NOTE: People born in Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories are considered born in other countries. Individuals are classified as first generation if they were born in one of the 50 states or Washington, DC, and at least one of their parents was not. Later generation includes those who were born in one of the 50 states or Washington, DC, as were both their parents.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), October 1997.

Table 1. - Percentage distribution of 16- to 24-year olds who were not enrolled in school and had not completed high school, by race/ethnicity and recency of migration: 1997

Table 1. - Percentage distribution of 16- to 24-year olds who were not enrolled in school and had not completed high school, by race/ethnicity and recency of migration: 1997

NOTE: People born in Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories are considered born in other countries. Individuals are classified as first generation if they were born in one of the 50 states or Washington, DC, and at least one of their parents was not. Later generation includes those who were born in one of the 50 states or Washington, DC, as were both their parents.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), October 1997.

Table 2. - Percentage of 25- to 34-year-olds who were not enrolled in school and had not completed high school, by race/ethnicity and recency of migration: 1979, 1989, and 1997

Table 2. - Percentage of 25- to 34-year-olds who were not enrolled in school and had not completed high school, by race/ethnicity and recency of migration: 1979, 1989, and 1997

- Not Available

* Total includes a small proportion of whom recency of migration is unknown.

NOTE: People born in Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories are considered born in other countries. Individuals are classified as first generation if they were born in one of the 50 states or Washington, DC, and at least one of their parents was not. Later generation includes those who were born in one of the 50 states or Washington, DC, as were both their parents.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), October 1997.

Figure 2. - Percentage distribution of 25- to 34-year-olds who were not enrolled and had not completed high school, by race/ethnicity and recency of migration: 1979, 1989, and 1997

Figure 2. - Percentage distribution of 25- to 34-year-olds who were not enrolled and had not completed high school, by race/ethnicity and recency of migration: 1979, 1989, and 1997

NOTE: People born in Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories are considered born in other countries. Individuals are classified as first generation if they were born in one of the 50 states or Washington, DC, and at least one of their parents was not. Later generation includes those who were born in one of the 50 states or Washington, DC, as were both their parents.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), November 1979 and 1989 and October 1997.

back to top

Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), November 1979 and 1989, and October 1997

For technical information, see

National Center for Education Statistics. (1999). The Condition of Education: 1999 (NCES 1999-022).

For complete supplemental and standard error tables, see either
For questions about content, contact John Wirt (john.wirt@ed.gov)

To obtain this Indicator of the Month (NCES 2000-009), call the toll-free ED Pubs number (877-433-7827) or visit the NCES Web Site (http://nces.ed.gov).

back to top