More US students are staying in school. According to data released from the Census Bureau, just 7% of the nation’s 18-to-24 year olds dropped out of high school, continuing a steady decline in the nation’s dropout rate since 2000, when 12% of youth were dropouts. This is an all time record low.

The main cause for the national dropout rate decline is because of the significant decrease in dropouts from Hispanic and black students. Less and less Hispanics and African-Americans are dropping out, even though they still remain as the highest percentage of dropouts from all races in the US educational system. Non-Hispanic and Asian dropout rates have also decreased but they have kept a relatively steady and low dropout rate throughout the past decade. Hispanics have the highest dropout rate among all racial and ethnic groups. They reached a record low of 14% in 2013, compared to 32% of dropouts in 2000. 79% of Hispanics had completed high school in 2013, compared with 60% in 2000.


This report showed significant progress over the past decade among Hispanic youth. There are not only fewer high school dropouts, but more are graduating from high school and are attending college. This makes sense because if more students are graduating, then the next step is to pursue a post secondary education. According to the new data, among college students ages 18 to 24, Hispanics accounted for 18% of college enrollment in 2013, up from 12% in 2009. Even though more Hispanics are attending college, they still trail white youth in obtaining bachelor's degrees. Hispanic students account for just 9% of young adults (ages 25 to 29) with a bachelor’s degree. While whites account for about 58% of students ages 18 to 24 enrolled in college and 69% of young adults with a bachelor’s degree.


Fry, Richard. "U.S. High School Dropout Rate Reaches Record Low, Driven by Improvements among Hispanics, Blacks." Pew Research Center RSS. N.p., 02 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. <http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/10/02/u-s-high-school-dropout-rate-reaches-record-low-driven-by-improvements-among-hispanics-blacks/>.