Student motivation

It's rarely only one factor that drives a student to give up on school, but in recent years, educators have gained ground against a range of contributors, from early absenteeism and reading difficulties to teenage parenthood. Now, schools are working to make inroads against one of the most common and yet elusive reasons students cite for dropping out: They just aren't motivated to stay in school.

What drives one student to stick it out through four years of high school, while another—perhaps equally talented—fades out of school?