Fed: Aussie drop outs take up training, not more school report

AAP General News (Australia)
02-18-2000
Fed: Aussie drop outs take up training, not more school report

By Debra Way

CANBERRA, Feb 18 AAP - Australians who drop out of school are more likely than their
American counterparts to take up further education or training - but less likely to go
back and finish high school, a study has found.

The Australian Council for Educational Research found Australian early school leavers
dropped out earlier than those in the US - and fewer ever went back.

Dr Phil McKenzie, coordinator of the research program, said post-school training seemed
to be a more attractive option for early school leavers.

"Almost half the early school leavers in the United States complete high school within
two years of normal high school graduation, whereas fewer than 10 per cent of early school
leavers in Australia eventually complete high school," Dr McKenzie said.

Most Americans who eventually finished high school did so by gaining a qualification
recognised as the equivalent of a high school diploma.

"Even though a higher proportion of Australians than Americans never complete high
school, Australian early school leavers are more likely than their American counterparts
to enrol in post-secondary education and training," Dr McKenzie said.

In the US, one in 10 early school leavers who never completed high school took part
in education or training during the first two years after school.

In Australia, about two in three boys who left school early took up post-school training
or education, mostly in apprenticeships or training.

Only about one in three girls who left school early took up further training, but that
was still five times the rate of those in the US.

"The results show that similar percentages of students left school early in the United
States and Australia - 21 per cent in the US and 22 per cent in Australia," the report
said.

"And in both countries, early school leaving rates were substantially higher for students
from lower socio-economic backgrounds, for students attending public or government schools
and for students with low achievement levels."

The study was based on surveys done in both countries from data collected in 1994.

It was written by Dr Stephen Lamb of ACER and Professor Russell Rumberger of the University
of California.

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KEYWORD: SCHOOLS

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