Rather than look at the dropout rate we should consider the value of the diploma. What exactly does it get you? Good jobs that can be had with just a high school diploma are increasingly scarce.
Some of the best jobs are in the construction trades and you don't need a HS diploma to get a job carrying mud to the journeyman bricklayers. The jobs require a strong back more than an education. They pay well and you have the option to get a contractors licence and your own business. The diploma is just a ticket into college and not everyone wants to go there.
For all of us that make a living shuffling paper, remember, some people actually make stuff.
