NEWS FLASH

STUDY: Bullying Increases High School Dropout Rates | A new study from the Unviersity of Virginia found that the prevalence of teasing and bullying in schools directly increases high school dropout rates, independent of factors like socioeconomic status and academic performance. The study followed 7,082 students over their four years of high school as well as 2,764 teachers in Virginia from 2007-2011. Schools with high rates of bullying had dropout rate 29 percent above average, whereas schools with low levels of bullying had dropout rates 28 percent below average. UVA professor Dewey Cornell points out that the study is the latest piece of evidence that an inclusive school climate is vital to student success.