Less than 3 percent of students who started 9th grade in 2009 had dropped out by 2012, new data from the National Center for Education Statistics show, but more than 11 percent had switched schools.
Personal or family issues were the most common reason students changed schools, but there were also differences by income level. More than 40 percent of the highest-income students changed schools to find different programs or courses, while only 32 percent of the poorest students did the same.
Thirty-nine percent of the poorest students and only 14 percent of the wealthiest students switched schools because they fell behind in credits.
