When Pregnancy Derails High School, Alternative Schooling Options Can Get You Back On Track
Almost one-third of high school drop-outs among teen girls can be accounted for by one factor. Pregnancy and parenthood. (1)
Even the most together adults struggle with how their lives change when a baby arrives. Of course teenagers will struggle to regularly attend and complete a 7+ hour school day. Of course they will struggle to comprehend lessons and complete homework when they are sleep deprived and focused on keeping a tiny human alive.
The CDC reports that only about half of teen mothers earn a high school diploma by the age of 22. Compare that to a 90% graduation rate amongst those women who do not give birth during high school. (2)
Failing to complete high school can have massive life-long consequences. It's been widely reported that only 2 percent of young teen mothers obtain a college degree. While the median income for college graduates has been increasing steadily for well over two decades, the median income for high-school dropouts has significantly decreased. (3)
If this all seems like doom-and-gloom, it doesn't have to be. These statistics can change.
The problem with teen moms dropping out of school isn't rooted in a lack of aptitude, or laziness, or any other unsolvable problem. The root issue is access and structure.
The public school system works well for kids who don't have scheduling challenges like 2 a.m. feedings. It works well for kids who don't have dependents. It doesn't work well for teen moms.
But there are alternatives. Ones that really work. Our hybrid approach pairs a home-based online curriculum with access to success centers and certified teachers. We offer extracurricular activities along with internship and mentorship opportunities. We partner with local school systems to support kids at risk of dropping out with an alternative that works.
We've seen kids who didn't ever expect to graduate thrive. Over 65% of our students graduate, which considering our student base is amazing. We're seeing SAT scores that rival the results posted by traditional schools. And, we are seeing students that are falling back in love with learning again.
So if you, or someone you love, is pregnant and at risk of not finishing high school we encourage you (or them) to investigate local options for alternative schooling. Finishing high school might sound impossible now, but with the right structure and support, it is completely achievable. And it will unlock so many more doors in the future!
To find out more about Success VLC click here.
Sources:
(1) http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/teen-pregnancy-prevention.aspx
(2) https://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/about/index.htm
(3) http://www.scaany.org/documents/teen_pregnancy_dec08.pdf