The Teenage Dropouts Support Center

Every person is unique, but when you face a challenge like teenage dropouts, you are never alone.  Countless individuals have faced the exact same situation and have survived and thrived.  The following guide is designed to help you navigate your journey with the best information and resources that helped other survivors when they faced the same challenge.  

TSC has scoured the Internet and assembled links to the very best teenage dropouts resources: articles, blogs, forums and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional and other challenges that you face.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this Teenage Dropout Guide even more helpful to survivors like you.   

JUST FOUND OUT 

Survivors Say: Best Resources for Teenage dropouts

• Book Rags: Teenage Dropouts - Why Teens Drop Out
  
• Job Bank USA: Teenage Dropouts Learn Hard Lessons About Jobs
  
• Angel Fire: Teenage Dropout - Facts & Statistics
  

The Big Picture

Teenage dropouts are all too common. Teenage dropouts occur for a variety of reasons, including bad parents, gangs, drugs, indifferent teachers, and just generally bad choices.

For statistics on teenage dropouts:

Silent Epidemic: America's Promise Alliance

Your Teenage dropouts

Teenage dropout occurs for a variety of reasons, from family problems to personal issues. To read personal reasons of why young people chose to drop out of school:

College Net: Why Do Some Teenagers Drop Out of School?

To help keep your teen in school, follow the guidelines from this article to ensure that your teen graduates:

The Washington Times: Reverse The Teen Dropout Trend

Teenage dropouts face more problems, including a higher rate of incarceration as well as a need to rely on social services. Teenage dropouts also have trouble getting health services and are ineligible for health insurance.

Focus Adolescent Services: Youth Who Drop Out

Your World

After dropping out, teenagers have a high risk of failure. To learn about programs to keep kids interested in their education, visit:

California Department of Education: Student Success Teams

Teenage dropouts Myths

• Teenage dropouts face poverty
• Teenage dropout rates are growing
• Teenage dropouts account for most single parents in the US
  

Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

• America's Promise Alliance
• National High School Center: High School Drop Out Prevention
• Ad Council: High School Dropout Prevention

Types of Treatment

Prevention

Dropping out of school seems like a good option for teens who are bored in school. But they often have a rude awakening once they drop out and have no place to turn. To stop teenagers from leaving school before graduation and becoming dropouts:

Boostup.org

Boarding schools

Troubled youth can often benefit from boarding schools. Depending on their unique situation and what their troubles are, boarding schools may help benefit them and keep them in line.

Troubled Teen Help: Troubled Teen Boarding Schools

Identifying at Risk Behaviors

Sometimes teenagers give warning signs that they are at-risk for problems and school failure. If your teen exhibits these behaviors or is going through a rough transition, they may be on the path to dropping out.

Focus Adolescent Services: If Your Teen Begins To Fail in School

Creating a support circle

• Set up your TSC Survivor Profile
• Join support groups of other survivors or set up your own
• Interact and provide updates on your profile or our forums

Insurance & Work Matters

Insurance Matters

Teenage dropouts have no resources to provide healthcare.

North Central Regional Educational Laboratory: Understanding and Addressing the Issue of the High School Dropout Age

Work Matters

Teenage dropouts don’t have a lot of options in the way of jobs.

Teen Ink Raw: Teenage Drop-Outs

Who Can Help

Student Success Teams

Student Success Teams are intervention and prevention strategies for teenage dropouts in the United States. Counselors, teachers and other educators work together to help prevent teenage dropouts.

Associated Content: Student Success Teams - Helping Teenage Dropouts

State Systems

State Juvenile Systems often intervene in cases of teenage behavioral problems. Teens at risk for behavior problems can become more at risk if they are incarcerated with teens selling drugs. Speak to a legal professional to make sure that your child is placed where they belong.

Boot Camps

Boot camps can help teach a teen discipline. TO find out whether or not your teen could benefit from spending time in a boot camp, visit:

Teen Boot Camps: Are Teen Boot Camps Appropriate for All Youth?

The Emotional Roller-coaster

Being a teenage dropout leads to more problems than it solves. For a list of what happens to teenage dropouts:

Suite 101: Dropout Give Reasons

Books Survivors Recommend

• Helping Students Graduate: A Strategic Approach to Dropout Prevention
• Strategies to Help Solve Our School Dropout Problem
• Taking Charge: A School-Based Life Skills Program for Adolescent Mothers
• The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education

What Survivors Wish They’d Known

Dealing with Teenage dropouts: Information and Recommended Links for Co-Survivors     

How you can help

• Offer advice on other teenage dropouts
• Make the curriculum more interesting

What to say   

• "How can I help?”
• "What’s your plan?”
• Tell them how much you care about them 
  

What not to say

• "Don't do it"
• "Don’t worry"
• "Yeah, that’s a good idea"

How to build a support network

• Set up your TSC Co-Survivor Profile
• Create a support group for your friend or family member.
• Interact and provide updates

Give back

What helped you while you were dealing with a teenage dropout? Take a look back at your journey and share with other what helped you and what you wished you would have known/done during your teenage dropout experience. You can create a profile, reach out to other survivors, join support circles or share your story by following the links at TheSurvivorsClub.org. Check out some of the best charities for supporting teenage dropouts research or offering support to survivors:

About-Underachieving Teens: So Your Teen Wants to Drop Out of School