Home > Education, Human Development > Vol 2 No 1 June 2013 Abstract 1
Adolescent Literacy, Dropout Factories, and the Economy: The Relationship between Literacy, Graduation Rates, and Economic Development in the United States
Carolyn L. Carlson
Journal of Education and Human Development, 2(1), pp. 01-08.

Abstract
Almost seven thousand students drop out of high schools in the United States every day. Many of these students do so because they lack the necessary literacy skills to be successful in high school. Without strong literacy skills, students are less likely to experience academic success and more likely to drop out of high school before graduating. If the students who dropped out of the Class of 2011 had graduated, the nation’s economy would likely benefit from nearly $154 billion in additional income over the course of their lives. As a result of the impact that high school dropouts have on entire communities and the nation, a high school diploma is considered the “best economic stimulus package.” This article examines the importance of adolescent literacy instruction, the dropout rate, and the impact on the economy of the United States.

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Carlson, L. Carolyn. (2013). Adolescent Literacy, Dropout Factories, and the Economy: The Relationship between Literacy, Graduation Rates, and Economic Development in the United States. Journal of Education and Human Development, 2(1), pp. 01-08.

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Dr. Carolyn L. Carlson is an Associate Professor at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Dr. Carlson holds a Ph.D. in Literacy Education, a M.S. in Literacy Education, and a B.A. in East Asian Languages and Cultures (Japanese). She teaches both undergraduate and graduate level courses in the field of literacy education. Dr. Carlson is the author of numerous journal articles on educational topics, primarily in the area of literacy. She has spoken at numerous national and international conferences on various literacy topics. Dr. Carlson is the winner of the 2013 A. Roy Myers Excellence in Research Award, the 2013 Kansas Reading Association Research Award, the 2009 Missouri State Council of the International Reading Association Research Award, the 2009 Kansas Reading Association Research Award, as well as other awards recognizing her research.