Why ninth grade is the pivotal year for dropping out of high school

The transition from middle school to high school is a big one, perhaps bigger than appears at first blush: Not only do students’ academic workloads increase, but simultaneously, so does their independence and responsibility.

For some kids, the leap to the responsibilities of high school from what they were doing just a few months before -- lining up for the cafeteria, or having parents sign their report cards -- is overwhelming, especially when factoring in added freedoms and new opportunities to be social...