The Last Dropout

By: Natasha Arastehmanesh, Galileo Basilio, Nick Druzinski, Madeline

Dunlap, Jesse Vallera, & Mallory Viveros

Background Information
Dropout rates: United States
Sex
Males: 7.3%
Females 5.9%
Ethnicity
American Indian: 14.6%
Hispanic: 12.7%
African American: 7.5%
Caucasian: 4.3%
Asian: 3.3% (Lowest)
High school dropouts and crime. (2013). [Google Image]. Retrieved from
https://oag.ca.gov/truancy/2013/ch2

(Stark, Noel & McFarland, 2015)

Background Information cont.

Graduation rates:
Disability
20 percentage points behind the national graduation rate
Low income
14.4 percentage points below non-low income peers
United States is 21st place out of 26 developed nations for graduation rates
National Graduation Rate
82.3%
Clark County Graduation Rate
62%

(Americas Promise Alliance, 2016; Takahasi, 2014; Cardoza, 2012)

Background Information cont.

Graduation rates:

Nevada High Schools (2014)

Third worst in nation (70%)

Last in terms of African Americans graduating (54%)

White students (77%)

Hispanics (65%)

English proficiency (28.6%)

(Cardoza, 2012)

Barriers to Student Success

In the United States

61,423 kids are currently incarcerated

539,576 kids experience parental neglect

8% of kids do not have access to health

insurance

15,686,000 students live in poverty

College mouse. (2016). [Google

image]. Retrieved from
http://collegemouse.com/assets/images
/us-dropout-rate-reasons-why-highschool-kids-drop-out.jpg

(Communities in Schools, 2016)

Occupational Injustice, Health, Well-being &

Occupational Engagement

Occupational injustice leads to

occupational disengagement

Limited access to resources

Poor sense of self-worth, dignity, and

belongingness

Living in poor neighborhoods leads to

unqualified teachers, outdated textbooks,
and a dangerous environment

Less job opportunities=less income

Epic launch. (2015). [Google Image]. Retrieved from http://www.epiclaunch.com/10entrepreneurial-lessons-high-school-dropouts-made-fortune/

(Bridgeland, Dilulio Jr, & Morison, 2006; Hammell,2013)

Occupational Injustice, Health, Well-being &

Occupational Engagement cont.

Occupational Justice, School Connectedness, and High School Dropout: The Role of Occupational
Therapy in Meeting the Needs of an Underserved Population
Students who are considered at risk in high school are those not experiencing academic success in
school and are therefore more likely to drop out (Marczuk,Taff, & Berg, 2014, p.236)

Occupational deprivation-due to isolation (including incarceration), unsafe environments, violence,

poverty or limited choices.
Occupational marginalization- students who fail a grade may disconnect from school due to
separation from valued peer relationships.
Occupational imbalance- unoccupied and under-occupied due to lack of safe community activities.
Occupational alienation- lack of participation in fulfilling activities due to social isolation, minimized
school connectedness, out-of-school suspensions, or immersion in meaningless events.
(Marczuk,Taff, & Berg, 2014)

Occupational Injustice in the Workplace

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). [Google image]. Retrieved from

http://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/data-on-display/dod_q4.htm

High School Dropouts are More Likely to:

Be involved in crime

Be incarcerated

Experience poor health

Mental health

Experience decreased labor force participation

Receive government assistance

Live in poverty

Become a parent

(Suhyun, 2007)

Contributing factors to dropouts

Poor familial relationships

Peer group relationships
Siblings
Grades
English-language proficiency
Environmental context
Cultural beliefs and traditional values
Community involvement
Lack of motivation
No interest in classes
Poor attendance
Difficulty of curriculum

(Sheehy, 2012;Valverde, 1987)

Top Five Reasons Dropouts Identify as Major

Factors For Leaving School

47%-Classes were not interesting

43%-Missed too many days and could not catch up

42%-Spent time with people who were not interested in school

38%-Had too much freedom and not enough rules in life

35%-Was failing in school

(Bridgeland, Dilulio Jr, & Morison, 2006)

Author Biography
Bill Milliken
Forced out at age 17
Grew up in middle-class suburb of
Pittsburgh

Emotionally unstable household

Established his first Community in

School during the 1970s

Began his activism early in 1960s with

various youth organizations
Founder and Vice Chairman of
Community in Schools

The last dropout. (2009). [Google image]. Retrieved from

http://www.thelastdropout.com/imgs/book.jpg

(Milliken, 2007)

The Last Dropout: Stop the Epidemic Book

Review

Written to make society aware of the increasing dropout rates this country is facing
Book consists of various stories of youth who were at risk of dropping out of school or being
forced out due to marginalization
Communities consisted of violence, crime, gangs, drugs, sex, and lack of basic necessities
Kids in the community were learning how to sell drugs and carry around guns rather than
learning math, reading, and writing to pursue an education
Five things that every child needs to be successful:
One-on-one relationship with a caring adult
A safe place to learn and grow
A healthy start and healthy future
A marketable skill to use upon graduation
A chance to give back to peers and the community

(Milliken, 2007)

Communities in Schools (CIS)

Current President
Dan Cardinali
Assess student needs and provides
resources to promote success in the
classroom and in life
CIS is the nations leading community-based
organizations helping kids succeed in
schools and prepare for life after school
Currently, the organization serves 1 million
students and families each year including
more than 2, 700 schools.

K12. (2015). [Google image]. Retrieved from

http://www.k12academics.com/nationaldirectories/volunteer-program/communities-schoolsforsyth-county-0#.VsUH1_krLIU

(Milliken, 2007)

Common Themes CIS Addresses

Themes that may influence dropout:

Poor health

Peer pressure

Lack of academic assistance

Unsafe environment

Unattainable resources

Tuition. (2015). [Google image]. Retreived from

https://d13kvjv9gs2swm.cloudfront.net/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2013/06/College-dropouts.jpg

(Milliken, 2007; Wurdinger, Haar, Hugg, &

Benzon, 2007)

Former at Risk Youth

Nike. (2012). [Google image]. Retrieved from

http://jaypgreene.com/2008/05/10/charles-murrayvs-michael-oher/

Mark Wahlberg hd wallpapers (2015). [Google image]. Retrieved

from http://www.hdwallpapersnew.net/mark-wahlberg-hdwallpapers/

Brides. (2015). [Google

image]. Retrieved from
http://www.brides.com/blog
s/aisle-say/2015/01/drewbarrymore-beauty-advicefeb-march-brides.html

Population
At Risk Youth, Dropouts
Common values:
Independence
Commitment to their friends
and community
Responsibilities of family care
Common beliefs:
Following family traditions
Education is not a necessity
Common Roles
Friend, sibling, parent, child,
member of group or
association, & employee

Washington Monthly. (2010). [Google Image]. Retrieved from

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2010/1007.toch2.html

Interview Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

At what age and grade did you drop out?

What were some of the events that lead you to drop out of school?
How did your immediate family dynamics both positively and/or negatively influence your choice to dropout?
Did you have a plan of action before you dropped out?
What are your demographics? Were dropouts common in your community?
What were the current community resources (government assistance, shelter/food, youth programs) available
at the time? How did you obtain them? How did you find out about them?
Post dropout did you experience any limitations or events of marginalization based on your dropout status?
How?
Did you identify yourself as a typical dropout? If not, how did you identify yourself?
How did you access your health care needs?
Did you experience depression, drug abuse, or any thoughts of suicide after you dropped out?
Do you have children, and if so what are your thoughts and parenting approach regarding education and
staying in school?
How do you feel about secondary education and post-secondary education?
Would you ever go back to school or do you regret your decision about dropping out? What would you do
differently?

Common Interview Themes

2/3 of the families were very supportive of decision to dropout

Had plan of actions before they dropped out

Either wanted to own their own business or had a job lined up

All came from a low SES family

All lived in neighborhoods with high populations of minorities

Parents worked often so they lacked parental care at home

2/3 experienced limitations with interpersonal relationships and community resources

Secondary education is critical

Interview #1
17 years old, male
Detroit, MI
Family consisted of mom, dad, 1 older sister, and 1 older brother
What were some of the events that lead you to drop out of school?
Due to the financial difficulties that my family was experiencing at that time, I knew that I had a very small opportunity to attend a
four year college. I knew my parents couldnt pay for me to go to college so I decided to help my family out and start a business,
which lead me to dropping of high school. When I was 18 years old, I owned three businesses which included a nightclub, pharmacy,
and a medical supply company. By owning these businesses, I was able to support my family.
Did you identify yourself as a typical dropout? If not, how did you identify yourself?
No because I was not lazy compared to some of the other drop-outs. Most of the individuals went to drugs and alcohol, as where I
turned to hard work, family, and friends to get through this time. I didnt consider myself to be dumb I was just not interested in
school at that time in my life.
Did you experience depression, drug abuse, or any thoughts of suicide after you dropped out?
No. Some of the kids that I knew who dropped out got into the hard drugs and always tried to get me to do it with them, but I
always refused and eventually distanced myself from them. Just because I dropped out doesnt mean I wasnt happy with my life.
School isnt for everyone, and Im a prime example of that. My father said to me that if I did drop out of school, I better work my butt
off to make a better life for myself, and Ive lived by that my entire life.

Where is He Now?

58 years old

Rochester Hills, MI

Husband and father to a daughter and son

Owner of: Motor City Medical

Interview #2
12 year old, male
Los Angeles, CA
Family consisted of mom, 2 older sisters, and 1 younger brother
Teacher stated, Never will you amount to anything, at best youll be a garbage man
What were some of the events that lead you to drop out of school?
Nobody cares of what you did or where you were. Having no role models. Having nobody to actually care about what you do.
Did you identify yourself as a typical dropout? If not, how did you identify yourself?
No, because the typical dropout was more of a lazy person. If i had someone who would of cared about me and see what I was
doing, I would have done better in life than what I am doing right now. Honestly, I always look back at my life and imagine if I had
someone to push me when I was little, where would I be right now.
Did you experience depression, drug abuse, or any thoughts of suicide after you dropped out?
No. Not really. That kind of stuff was more for dumb people. I liked myself too much to think about that stuff. When I was little, I
shed away from this because I wanted to work to make money. I never went around selling drugs. I just wanted to work.

Interview Audio

#3 How did your immediate family dynamics both positively and/or negatively influence
your choice to dropout

#5 What are your demographics? were drop-outs common in your community?

#6 What were the current community resources (gov assistance, shelter/food, youth
programs) available at the time? How did you obtain them? how did you find out about
them?

#11 Do you have children, and if so what are your thoughts and parenting approach
regarding education and staying in school?

Where is He Now?

42 years old
Moses Lake, WA
Husband and father to a daughter and
son
Owner of:
Pro-Touch Auto Detail, LLC
Boat/Jet-ski/ ATV Rental
Pro-Touch Car Wash, LLC ( 2 locations)

Protouchautodetail. (2015). [Google image]. Retrieved from

http://www.protouchrentals.com/

Interview #3
15 year old, female
Little Rock, AR
Family consisted of drug addicted mom, no father, and older sister
What were some of the events that lead you to drop out of school?
The only reason I dropped out of school is because I did not want to be known as the pregnant girl in 9th grade. And thought
that I would get a job and get a house and get married but it didn't work out as expected.
Did you identify yourself as a typical dropout? If not, how did you identify yourself?
I identified myself as young woman who decided to be there for my daughter and try to support her because I couldn't rely on
anyone else to support her but me. She was my responsibility and she didnt ask to be here, I brought her here.
Did you experience depression, drug abuse, or any thoughts of suicide after you dropped out?
Yes, I experienced depression and drug abuse. I had got into weed, pills, and alcohol and it got to the point where I was doing
drugs and drinking and partying everyday. I was trying to cope with the depression and still try to be a teenager. I thank God
everyday I still have my children.
(Sum, Khatiwada, & McLaughlin, 2009)

Where is She Now?

24 years old

Little Rock, AR

Single mother of two boys and a girl

Working at Wal-Mart

OT Implications

Awareness, Advocate, Action

School-community collaboration

Family engagement and participation

Mentoring/tutoring

Professional development

Early childhood development

Active learning

Community awareness

Individualized instruction

LSU Health. (2015). [Google image]. Retrieved

from https://www.lsuhsc.edu/library/news/?
cat=60

(Milliken, 2007)

OT Implications cont.
Current OT Role in school-based therapy

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004- helps individuals with disabilities
impacting educational performance, not occupational needs
Not included in school transition planning teams restricting their potential impact at a crucial
point in students academic careers

(Marczuk,Taff, & Berg, 2014)

How can OTs Help?

Public health concern: disconnection, dropout, and occupational injustice

School wide engagement programs and skill-building activities such as talent shows,
community projects, fundraising, or mentoring at an elementary school.

Student support teams

Social justice: interdisciplinary collaboration

After school programs: school engagement

OTs must reframe their role in schools and communities and build capacities in advocacy,
sustaining partnerships and program planning, implementation and evaluation
(Marczuk,Taff, & Berg, 2014)

How can OTs

help? cont.
The antidote to stress and injustice can be
school connectedness as supported through
occupational therapy consultation and program
development that foster relationships with stable
adults who will advocate for an at risk student
(Marczuk,Taff, & Berg, 2014, p.238-239)

NYCID. (2015). [Google image]. Retrieved from

http://nycid.org/nycids-young-adult-borough-center-helps-highschool-students-graduate/

What Needs to Change?

Family stability

Access to community resources

Mentorship

Community involvement

Safe and secure place to learn and grow

Expand graduation options

Preventative services
Forbes. (2015). [Google image]. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2013/06/18/seven-dos-and-donts-formentors/#abcfe30322b6

(Milliken, 2007)

Prevention

The term at risk suggests a focus on

prevention and intervention (Kamenetz, 2015)

Enroll in career and technical classes

Talk to a guidance counselor

Steps to obtain a GED

Talk to a former dropout

Interact with a different crowd

K12. (2015). [Google image]. Retrieved from

http://www.formalesonly.com/std/genitalherpes/genital-herpes-prevention-staying-calmamidst-the-storm

Supporting Services Nationwide

The Afterschool Alliance

Raises awareness of the importance of afterschool programs and advocates affordable
programs for all children
Camp Fire USA
Program includes youth leadership, self-reliance, camping, child care, and
environmental education
City Year
Mission is to build democracy through citizen service, civic leadership, and social
entrepreneurship
College Summit
Prepares students for success after high school

(Milliken, 2007)

Group Reflection
Get into your social justice presentation groups
Discuss with your groups:

How the positioning of the characters in your book and the population they represent affect
their access to opportunities and resources in which would put them at risk for dropping out of
school
This population often is unaware of the marginalization they are experiencing because the focus
is on their defeat and angst toward school. Because many are under the age of 18 and do not
have a voice to advocate for their needs, the responsibility lies on adults. What are your
thoughts regarding this topic being an example of ageism?
Currently OTs working in the school district do not specifically address dropout prevention. How
can OTs be incorporated into the process of prevention in collaboration with the school district?
Why do you think the U.S. is so far behind other developed countries in terms of high school
graduation rates?

References

Americas Promise Alliance. (2016). High school graduation facts: Ending the dropout crisis. Retrieved from
http://www.americaspromise.org/high-school-graduation-facts-ending-dropout-crisis
Bridgeland, J. M., DiIulio Jr, J. J., & Morison, K. B. (2006). The silent epidemic: Perspectives of high school dropouts. Civic
Enterprises. Retrieved from https://docs.gatesfoundation.org/documents/thesilentepidemic3-06final.pdf
Cardoza, K. (2012). Graduation rates increase around the globe as U.S. plateaus. Retrieved from
http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/12/02/21/graduation_rates_increase_around_the_globe_as_us_plateaus
Communities in School. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.communitiesinschools.org/
Hammell, K. (2013). Occupation, well-being, and culture: Theory and cultural humility. Canadian Journal of Occupational
Therapy, 80(4), 224-234. doi: 10.1177/0008417413500465
Kamentez, A. (2015). Deliquent. Dropout. At-risk. When words become labels. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/04/28/399949478/delinquent-dropout-at-risk-whats-in-a-name
Marczuk, O., Taff, S. D., & Berg, C. (2014). Occupational Justice, school connectedness, and high school dropout: The Role
of occupational therapy in meeting the needs of an underserved population. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, &
Early Intervention, 7(3-4), 235-245. doi: 10.1080/19411243.2014.966018
Milliken, B. (2007). The last dropout: Stop the epidemic! Carlsbad, CA: Hay House.

References cont.

Sheehy, K. (2012). High school dropouts blame lack of parental support, teen pregnancy. Retrieved from
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2012/11/14/high-school-dropouts-blame-lack-of-parentalsupport-teen-pregnancy
Stark, P., Noel, A., & McFarland, J. (2015). Trends in high school dropout and completion rates in the United States: 19722012. U.S. Department of Education. 1-52. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2015/2015015.pdf
Suhyun, S. (2007). Risk factors and levels of risk for high school dropouts. Professional school counseling, 10(3), 297-306.
doi: 10.5330/prsc.10.3.w26024vvw6541gv7
Sum, A. Khatiwada, I., & McLaughlin, J. (2009). The Consequences of dropping out of high school. Center for Labor Market
Studies Publications. Retrieved from http://www.northeastern.edu/clms/wpcontent/uploads/The_Consequences_of_Dropping_Out_of_High_School.pdf
Takahashi, P. (2014). Nevadas high school graduation rate is worst in the nation. Retrieved from
http://lasvegassun.com/news/2014/apr/28/nevadas-high-school-graduation-rate-worst-nation/
Valverde, S. A. (1987). A comparative study of hispanic high school dropouts and graduates: Why do some leave school
early and some finish?. Education and Urban Society, 19(3), 320-29. doi: 10.1177/0013124587019003009
Wurdinger, S., Haar, J., Hugg, R., & Bezon, J. (2007). A qualitative study using project-based learning in a mainstream
middle school. Improving Schools, 10(2), 150-161. doi: 10.1177/1365480207078048