CPT12 Combats the High School Dropout Crisis

The vast majority of students – 92 percent – say they expect to earn a high school diploma. But, for many of these students, the reality is much different.

Every year, more than 1.3 million students drop out of high school. That's 7,000 students a day.1

In Colorado, nearly 17,400 students (25.4%) didn't graduate from high school in 2009.2 Additionally, 24.2% of the students from the class of 2010 did not graduate or complete high school in four years. For students identified as "most at risk," that figure is 47.6%.3

For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (GLBTQ) students, the dropout rates are nearly three times the national average. This startling figure is due to the fact that verbal and physical harassment at school compound the chances of dropping out. Up to 28% of gay students stop attending classes regularly, many drop out, run away or are kicked out of their homes – and in too many cases, attempt suicide.4

The impact of the high school dropout crisis affects the entire community, impacting our economy, healthcare costs, and workforce. It is a problem that must be solved, and CPT12 is joining a collaborative, community-wide effort to address the crisis and to help students stay on the path to graduation. (2008)