There are 90,000 adults living in St. Louis County and St. Louis city without a high school diploma. Let me say that again – 90,000 adults.
That number was completely shocking and left me wondering about the impact on those individuals, their families and all of us in the St. Louis region. I went looking and discovered some sobering statistics.
Those with a high school diploma will earn over 36 percent more for a median annual income. In the end, the lifetime earnings of high school dropouts are $260,000 less than peers who earn a diploma.
Due to this lack of earning potential, 21.4 percent of those individuals without a high school diploma in St. Louis County are living in poverty. Educating these adults is critical to mitigating poverty in the region.
The unemployment rate for residents without a high school diploma is substantially higher than the Missouri rate of 4.1 percent. For residents of St. Louis County, the average rate of unemployment for those without a high school degree is 17.3 percent.
That number and those statistics convinced me of the importance of a program the St. Louis County Library and St. Louis Public Library launched on October 2. This partnership gives our patrons, 25 years of age and older, the opportunity to enroll in an online high school degree program.
The Career Online High School program is a fully accredited online high school diploma and career certification program that features an online learning environment. Several libraries around the country have already implemented it. The program includes academic coaches and support instructors, including an onsite program manager at the library. In addition, both libraries offer access to public computers and free Wi-Fi for all patrons.Â
Upon completion, students graduate with a high school diploma and a career certification in eight areas: Childcare and Education, Certified Protection Officer, Office Management, Commercial Driving, Homeland Security, General Career Preparation, Retail Customer Service, and Food and Hospitality.
The two library systems are coming together to offer this program to address a need in our region and to offer a new solution that is free to the participants. This partnership allows us to demonstrate how regional cooperation can make our community stronger by providing a new option for adults in St. Louis County and St. Louis city to pursue educational opportunities.
Despite years of attention from researchers and policymakers, the high school dropout problem continues to be a serious concern in the United States. One in five students drops out of high school every year. Black and Hispanic/Latino students are still graduating about nine and six percentage points behind the national average, respectively. Young people leave school because of complex life circumstances and personal or family barriers. Others leave because schools intentionally or unintentionally push them out with antiquated approaches to school discipline and suspensions. Many others leave because how they learn, how they demonstrate learning, and what they most care about are not connected to their experiences in school.
I am already overwhelmed by both the impact this program will have and the need in our region. Since the launch date in October, 1,054 individuals have filled out an online self assessment to enroll in the program. While I am in awe of that number, I am humbled by the need, hopeful of the impact, and thrilled at the thought of attending the high school graduations that will take place at the Library. If you or someone you know could benefit from this program, visit https://www.slcl.org/cohs or https://www.slpl.org/cohs/ for more information about the program and to complete the online assessment.
Kristen Sorth is director of St. Louis County Library.
