Exploring Contributing Factors Leading to the Decision to Drop out of School by Hispanic Males

The purpose of this study was to identify factors leading Hispanic male students in a mid-sized community in South Texas to dropping out of school, and to determine which, if any, of the factors caused the participant to first consider leaving school at an early age. This quantitative study tested academic systems within Tinto's theory of institutional departure (1994) by identifying factors within the classrooms and school that ultimately lead to the decision to drop out of school by students. In looking at young Hispanic males who have already dropped out of school in a mid-sized South Texas community, this study investigated factors that significantly contribute to the decision to leave school in order to provide educators with areas in which to focus in order to retain students who may otherwise drop out of school. The study focused on the following three variables: engagement in class, real-world connection to curriculum, and positive relationships with staff members and found that two of the three variables (engagement in class and real-world connection to the curriculum) contributed significantly to the decision to drop out of school by Hispanic males who first thought of leaving school at an early age.