Perhaps the biggest concern about raising graduation requirements is that such policies will cause more students to drop out of high school. Indeed, many people assume that high academic standards and high graduation rates simply are not compatible: The only way to raise graduation rates, they believe, is to lower academic standards.

But although dropout rates are alarmingly high, particularly in our inner cities, there is no evidence that higher expectations for students increases their chances of dropping out. In fact, the opposite may be true: When students are challenged and supported, they rise to the occasion.

See the fact sheet for more. We've also provided a PowerPoint that you may download and use for your own presentations.