Dealing with Dropouts in Canadian Education

ABSTRACT

In Canada, as in other countries, there has been considerable attention recently to the issue of high school dropout rates. Currently discussion in Canada has linked the issue of dropouts to that of “economic competitiveness”—part of a neoconservative social and economic agenda. Measures taken have primarily tried to prevent dropouts by providing alternative programs, or more counseling and supports. Most efforts replicate existing school structures and processes. If one takes the view that failure is an integral function of schools, and that schools actively create dropouts, then it is clear that proposed measures will not succeed. An alternative perspective, based on the concept of “second chance,” leads to a number of policy measures which would likely be more efficacious. Many of these are drawn from adult education and involve more flexible approaches to organization, instruction, and credentialing. However, the barriers to such change are highly significant, involving not only current political directions but also longstanding ways of thinking about what education is and how it should be delivered.