Cut dropouts and win,
Wednesday, February 28th, 2007
By Chris Fitzsimon
N.C. Tony Habit
RALEIGH - As the General Assembly wrestles to balance the budget, here’s a way to raise at least $1.4 billion for North Carolina that won’t take a tax increase — cut our state’s dropout rate in half.
A sophisticated cost-benefit study released this month by four eminent economists found that converting a dropout to a high school graduate would net $127,000 per student in public benefit over that student’s working life. That benefit comes from higher tax revenues that each graduate would produce and lower government costs for public health, crime and welfare that historically are higher for dropouts. A dollar spent that actually cuts dropouts creates $2.50 in public benefit, these economists determined.
Multiply that $127,000 by 11,000 young people — roughly half the number of North Carolina students who drop out each year — and the state gains $1.4 billion over the next four decades. Keep in mind that an additional $1.4 billion would begin to accrue as well in every subsequent year that 11,000 dropouts become graduates instead. (more…)
Last 5 posts in Daily News
- Easley: State might need 3 percent budget cut - October 7th, 2008
- Mileage tax gets a Triangle test drive - October 7th, 2008
- Religious leaders back NC immigration reform group - October 7th, 2008
- Elon Poll finds mixed views on school vouchers - October 7th, 2008
- NAACP seeks reparations for 1898 NC riot deaths - October 7th, 2008
Email This Post
Print This Post
