One in four girls do not finish high school, and the numbers are worse for girls of color. One in two Native American female students, four in ten Black female students, and nearly four in ten Hispanic female students fail to graduate with a diploma each year. All dropouts face significant challenges to obtaining employment and achieving economic security, yet female dropouts are at particular economic risk. As compared with their male peers, girls who fail to graduate form high school have higher rates of unemployment, make significantly lower wages; and are more likely to need to rely on public support programs to provide for their families. At a time when every hour counts, the dropout rates and educational experiences of female students cannot be ignored.
