Alabama
Alabama State Card (Updated 3/13/2008) Potential Economic Impacts of Improved Education on Alabama Promoting Power Alabama's Ten Largest School Districts HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS COST ALABAMA BILLIONS IN LOST WAGES: ALABAMA’S ECONOMY COULD SEE OVER ONE BILLION IN WEALTH ACCUMULATION BY RAISING THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE: ALABAMA COULD SAVE MILLIONS IN HEALTH CARE COSTS BY RAISING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES ALABAMA’S ECONOMY WOULD SEE BILLIONS IF THE MINORITY GRADUATION RATE WAS RAISED TO THE LEVEL OF THEIR WHITE CLASSMATES ALABAMA SPENDS MILLIONS ANNUALLY ON REMEDIAL EDUCATION FOR RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES FIVE PERCENT INCREASE IN MALE GRADUATION RATE COULD SAVE ALABAMA MILLIONS IN CRIME-RELATED SPENDING TEACHER TURNOVER COULD COST ALABAMA MILLIONS ANNUALLY
The state card provides a statistical snapshot of high schools for that state and includes data on funding, teachers' salaries, graduation rates, college readiness, and academic achievement. Where applicable, statewide numbers are compared to the national average and include national rankings.
This economic impact fact sheet helps policymakers and the public understand the extent of the economic costs to society of an educational system that serves so many students poorly. It also provides an overview of the potential economic benefits that a state could enjoy were it to invest in a high school system that prepares all high school students for graduation and success after high school.
How does your local high school measure up? View the complete list of high schools in your state or congressional district and their Promoting Power.
The chart provides graduation rate calculations for the state's ten largest school districts by enrollment. The chart provides an overall graduation rate for the school district and also breaks down graduation rates by student subgroup when available.Education News from Alabama
If the nearly 25,000 high school dropouts from the Class of 2008 had earned their diplomas instead of dropping out, Alabama’s economy would have seen an additional $6.5 billion in wages over these students’ lifetimes. A chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/HighCost.pdf.
If the high school dropouts who currently head households in Alabama had earned their diplomas, the state’s economy would have benefited from an additional $1.6 billion in wealth accumulated by families. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/hiddenbenefits.pdf.
If all of the students in Alabama who are estimated to drop out of school this year earn diplomas instead, the state could save more than $245 million over the course of those young people’s lifetimes. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/HandW.pdf.
If Alabama’s high schools and colleges were to raise the graduation rates of Hispanic, African-American, and Native-American students to the levels of white students by 2020, the potential increase in personal income in the state would add more than $2.1 billion to Alabama’s economy. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/demography.pdf.
Alabama spends over $53 million each year to provide community college remediation education for recent high school graduates who did not acquire the basic skills necessary to succeed in college or at work. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/remediation.pdf.
Were Alabama to increase the graduation rate and college matriculation of its male students by only 5 percent, the state could see combined savings and revenue of almost $125 million each year. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/SavingFutures.pdf.
More than 6,447 teachers in Alabama will not be returning to the schools where they taught last year. What’s more, replacing these individuals could cost the state up to $71 million. More information, as well as a chart with state-by-state breakdown for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, is available at http://www.all4ed.org/files/TeacherAttrition.pdf.