GA HR275

Georgia House Resolution 275 expresses support for raising the minimum school dropout age from 16 to 17 years old

Georgia's 2014 graduation rate was 72.5%, below the national average of 81%, while states with higher compulsory education ages historically have higher graduation rates

High school dropouts from the Class of 2010 were estimated to cost the nation over $337 billion in lost lifetime wages, with dropouts earning approximately $260,000 less than graduates over their lifetimes

Nearly 71% of incarcerated individuals lack a high school diploma, and an additional year of schooling reduces arrests by 11-18%

Georgia spends approximately $20,000 per inmate annually compared to about $10,000 per student, and every dollar invested in increasing graduation rates yields an estimated $1.45 to $3.55 return