Harry Reid: “Those who drop out of high school are at a greater risk of being unemployed or holding a position with no career…”

“Those who drop out of high school are at a greater risk of being unemployed or holding a position with no career advancement opportunities. These individuals also earn less, are more likely to be poverty stricken, and received public assistance. To address the dropout problem, the Department of Education administers 11 programs. These programs resulted in a downward trend in the national dropout rate. Nonetheless, we have what we could call the 'dropout divide'--dropout rates in 1998 were higher for Hispanic (9.4%) than blacks (5.2%) and whites (3.9%). This holds true in Nevada, where Hispanic students dropped out of school at a higher rate than other racial/ethnic groups. In the 1996-97 school year, the Hispanic dropout rate is 15.7 percent while White and Asian/Pacific Islander students had the lowest dropout rates at 8.3% each. It is unacceptable that we allow students--of any race--to dropout. In our new high-tech economy, education is more important than ever. It is the key to a happy and secure future, and we must work harder to make sure that our children don't lose this valuable chance to get an education.”