Excessive absenteeism in middle school has been identified as a warning sign that a student may eventually drop out of school. This notion is supported by research and so widely accepted that it has been included as a condition for a student's eligibility for Florida's dropout prevention and academic intervention program. Excessive absenteeism is also connected to other dropout indicators, such as course failure.
Course failure is another indicator of a likely dropout, a problem that may manifest as early as middle school. Students who are not engaged or perhaps not present at school miss exposure to vital instruction and the opportunity to complete assignments. The result may be low test grades and zeros on homework or homework assignments. The student's course grade average suffers as a result.
Though the intention of holding a child back a grade may be remediation, retention in middle school may actually be harmful, increasing the likelihood that a student will eventually dropout. The social stigma attached to being in a class with younger students as the student's peers move forward in school can be devastating socially and emotionally. Additionally, the impact on the student's self-esteem may prevent him or her from developing the sense of self-worth necessary for success.
Middle school students who habitually demonstrate poor behavior are also more likely to suffer academically. The consequences of disruptive behavior, which sometimes results in removal from the learning environment, may cause a student to fall behind. The behavior disrupts the class when they are in the classroom, and they miss instruction when they are suspended. The predictable result is poor or failing grades, which in turn may lead to the student dropping out.