A sixteen-year-old teenager takes a standardized test. He doesn't worry about whether he passes the test or not. His father died the other day of lung cancer and his mother is about to lose her only job. He doesn't think he should be in school, but rather helping his mother deal with the grief of losing her husband. He plans to drop out of high school and find a stable job so he can support his mother and himself. High school dropouts, like this teen, are increasing at a higher rate than high school graduates. Teenagers may need to drop out of school if a circumstance arises that they cannot control, such as the loss of a loved one. It's easy to drop out of high school, but it's harder to stay there. When a student drops out of high school, they leave school without a high school diploma, or GED. About one million American students drop out of high school each year due to problems such as bullying or academic failure (“Background on High School Dropouts,” n.d.). Students see their problems, whether mental, physical or financial....