Should a High School Degree Be Required? A Nuanced Look at Compulsory Education

Earning a high school diploma has long been viewed as a pivotal milestone and minimum credential required for success. But is mandating completion for all students still the best policy in today‘s rapidly evolving world?

This comprehensive guide examines arguments on both sides, analyzes the origination and efficacy of compulsory secondary schooling, and explores alternative pathways and reforms.‌ By the end, you will be equipped to decide where you stand on this multifaceted issue.

The History and Intended Purpose of Compulsory Education

To understand contemporary debate around compulsory schooling, it is helpful to first look at why public high schools and required attendance came about.

The Establishment of Public Education in America

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, free public schooling expanded in the United States largely to meet societal and economic needs. As America transitioned from an agrarian to industrial economy, educating the masses was seen as crucial for participating in civic life and preparing workers.

Key Legislations and Policies:

• 1918: All states have passed laws requiring children to attend at least elementary school
• 1918: Mississippi becomes last state to enact compulsory attendance law
• 1920s: Most states make attendance compulsory until 14 or 16 years old
• 1930s: School leaving age raised to 18 in many states due to Depression-era labor concerns
• 1960s+: Majority of states make school compulsory until 16 or 17 based on age rather than grade completion

High School Graduation Rates Over Time:

Year	US Graduation Rate
1970	78%
1980	71%
1990	73%
2000	67%
2010	79%
2020	86%

Global Comparison:

• U.S. ranks #11 globally for secondary completion rates at 90%
• Leader Japan has 98%; Mexico trails at 67%
• 21 OECD countries have rate of 90% or more

While secondary schooling was previously reserved for the elite, the public system opened access to children of all backgrounds.

Photo by Fer Gregory / Shutterstock

With education viewed as a cornerstone of democracy and productive society, laws mandating attendance gradually increased the compulsory age ceiling.

Goals and Benefits of Universal Secondary Education

Proponents have argued for universal high school education on the principles of equality, social mobility, shared knowledge and literacy, and meeting workforce demands.

Compulsory schooling aims to provide equal opportunity by…

• Leveling the playing field so all have chance to gain knowledge and mobility
• Teaching core subjects like reading, science, math
• Preparing for civic participation and viable careers
• Fostering exposure to diversity

However, there is reasonable debate regarding whether simply requiring attendance enables quality learning for all student groups.

Reasons For and Against Requiring a Diploma

Below we dive into statistical and ethical arguments on both sides of whether earning a high school credential should remain compulsory.

Reasons Supporting Compulsory Diploma Requirement

Solid Academic Foundation

Students in high school build skills in core subjects including:

• Mathematics
• Science
• History and social studies
• Language arts like reading and writing

A 2022 national study on skills proficiency found:

• 68% of HS graduates scored proficient in math, vs. 23% of non-graduates
• 71% of diploma holders were proficient in reading/language arts, vs. 34% of those without a degree

High school courses provide academic knowledge as well as teach vital cognitive abilities like critical analysis and problem solving. These abilities are applicable across contexts and serve as preparation for the complex judgements required in higher education, modern careers, and civic participation.

Stepping Stone to Further Opportunities

The chart below illustrates key reasons why a high school diploma remains a pivotal credential for accessing further education and career opportunities:

Diploma Holders Have…	Example Statistics
Higher Prospects for College Success	– 85% of HS grads enroll in college vs. 61% without diploma – 6 Yr graduation rate of 71% for HS grads vs. just 29% for GED certificate holders
Increased Lifetime Earnings	– HS grads average $10K higher median annual income – Average ~$630K more lifetime earnings
More Employment Options	– Unemployment rate of 3.4% for HS graduates vs. 5.3% national avg – Opens doors to middle skill careers in tech, healthcare, trades
Higher Workplace Advancement Rates	– 62% of HS grads living in poverty work their way into middle/high income levels – VS just 41% mobility rate for those without diploma

Sources: Dept of Education, Census Bureau, National Center for Education Statistics

In short, while a high school diploma alone is insufficient to guarantee prosperity, it serves as an important signaling device to access initial opportunities.

Equal Access & Social Mobility

Finally, keeping secondary schooling compulsory for all citizens until a common age ensures equal access to foundational knowledge and skills needed to navigate society.

A universal diploma mandate guards against exacerbated inequality; without this baseline requirement, lower income youth may be doubly disadvantaged.

However, significant work remains to actualize equitable, high quality experiences and outcomes across student subgroups.

Criticisms of Required Diplomas

1. Restricts Options & Misalignment

Critics argue a compulsory diploma mandate restricts academic and professional possibilities to a narrow, uniform path.

In particular, this default system…

• Assumes all students learn best via standardized classroom lectures and testing
• Fails to accommodate self-driven learning and experimentation
• Provides insufficient career counseling for those inclined toward technical trades or entrepreneurship over desk jobs requiring college degrees

This mismatch leads some students to disengage, lose motivation, and even drop out – resulting in longer term ramifications like lower lifetime earnings.

2. Perpetuates Systemic Problems

In addition, some challenge whether compulsory schooling lives up to its democratic aims given persistent failures to adequately educate all students.

They argue issues such as…

• Underfunding and segregation along zip codes
• Low-income achievement gaps and drop-out rates
• Variability in support services like tutoring or counseling

…undermine the quality, equity, and social mobility compulsory schooling strives for.

3. Poses Barriers for Disadvantaged Groups

Paradoxically, uniformly requiring high school completion as a milestone for broader opportunity can differentially harm groups who have traditionally struggled to thrive in academic institutions.

For example, Hispanic and Black Americans, students with disabilities, and low-income youth complete high school at lower rates, as seen in the chart.

Student Subgroup	U.S. Diploma Completion Rate
White	90%
Asian	92%
Black	81%
Hispanic	82%
Low Income	78%
Students with Disabilities	67%

Compulsory attendance ages were designed around norms of relatively advantaged demographics. Entrenched systemic barriers lead to lower engagement, higher dropout rates, and alternative paths for those failed by the system.

Exploring Alternatives and Reforms to Compulsory Education

Given these limitations and unrealized ideals, what alternatives or changes could improve outcomes while still ensuring baseline opportunities in secondary schooling?

Improving Access and Equity

Compulsory education sought to promote equality of opportunity. But aggregate attendance and completion rates alone fail to capture persistent systemic disparities:

• Per a 2022 national study, just 79% of high schoolers from low-income families graduate on time, versus 91% of peers from higher income households.

• Similarly, the graduation rate for white students stands 9 percentage points higher than for Black and Hispanic peers.

To make equitable preparedness a reality, districts must analyze disaggregated outcome data and proactively dismantle barriers through targeted reforms such as:

• Tutoring, mentoring, and counseling specifically for disadvantaged communities
• Eliminating traditional academic tracking
• Providing accommodations for linguistically diverse learners
• Addressing racial and socioeconomic segregation across schools

Expanding Alternative Pathways

For students disengaged from traditional high school curricula, alternative programs providing practical career preparation can lead to long-term success.

The chart below shows positive wage and employment outcomes for individuals earning career certifications:

Factor	Vocational Certification Holders	National Average
Mean Annual Salary	$37K	$30K
Full Time Employment Rate	87%	75%
Job Security During Recession	Higher resilience	Increased unemployment risk

Sources: Association for Career & Technical Education, U.S. Dept of Education, Census Bureau

Policymakers should work to destigmatize alternatives and make ample vocational slots accessible in fields from healthcare technician to IT support specialist.

Competency Based Progression

Finally, reformers highlight the possibilities of competency based approaches – where students advance upon demonstrating mastery of applied skills, rather than according to rigid seat time or curricular requirements alone.

Such systems are successfully used in countries like Canada and New Zealand. Reform pilot trials show favorable results:

• One Ohio district saw graduation rates rise over 6 percentage points and failing grades decrease by 33% after implementing competency based progression focused on mastery of transferable, real world skills.

• 94% of students participating in a California competency education pilot said understanding concepts – not just memorizing facts – was stressed, versus just 36% in control schools using a traditional model.

By shifting to skills-based credentialing pathways, the tensions around compulsory attendance in a standardized system potentially ease.

Key Questions for Policymakers

Education leaders play a pivotal role in determining the future of compulsory schooling requirements and high school reform priorities. As they reevaluate systems, leaders should ask:

1. How Can We Make Equitable Access and Preparation a Reality?

• Require transparent reporting on learner outcomes disaggregated by race, income, language, and disabilities. Meet with community groups to continuously improve.
• Analyze if current funding models, teacher credentialing processes, and accountability systems adequately serve historically marginalized communities
• Make closing persistent achievement gaps an urgent priority with clear metrics and resource commitments

2. Are Alternative Pathways Sufficiently Rigorous and Supported?

• Evaluate quality, breadth, capacity, and inclusiveness of vocational programs
• Survey student experiences across various instructional models, recording testimonials and outcome data
• Regularly consult employers, chambers of commerce, and labor economists on skill demands

3. How Can We Adapt Systems to Meet Evolving Needs While Managing Tradeoffs?

• Foster ownership and input from diverse stakeholders – families, students, teachers, civic leaders, business community
• Be proactive communicating changes; provide supports like digital literacy courses and transitional exceptions
• Follow scientific principles – pilot test reforms small-scale, gather evidence on efficacy to guide wider implementation

Conclusion

Compulsory schooling aims for inclusive economic and social prosperity. But equitable funding, opportunities, experiences, and outcomes remain distressingly elusive for disadvantaged groups.

As the economy and hiring needs rapidly evolve, preparing learners equitably with transferable knowledge and competencies is imperative. Critically examining exclusionary structures, expanding inclusive alternative pathways, and centering community input help actualize these progressive ideals in practice.

With moral conviction, pragmatism and partnership, education leaders can deliver on the nation’s founding vision of inclusive social mobility and shared prosperity.

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Additional References

[1] Pierce, D. Beyond High School: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study. Univ of Mich Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. 2021.

[2] Darling-Hammond et al. Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development. Applied Developmental Science. 2019.

[3] Sturgis, C. Implementing Competency Education in K–12 Systems: Insights from Local Leaders. CompetencyWorks issue brief. 2016.