The Dropout Dilemma

By Debra Viadero

Imagine this scenario: John Doe, a 17-year-old student at Big City High School, informs administrators there that he is quitting school to enroll in an adult education program across town. He plans to earn a high-school-equivalency diploma.

Is John Doe a dropout?

According to the federal government, yes. But, in many states, the answer is no. Bean counters in Florida, Indiana, South Carolina, and a handful of other states would call John Doe a full-fledged student because he is pursuing an alternative diploma. And in many places, whether the boy ever sets foot in his newly assigned school is beside the point: he still wouldn't show up...