Youth who experience "relationship poverty" are more likely to leave school and fail to graduate, according to a new report published Sept. 16, but there are ways to enable success. 

"Don't Quit on Me: What Young People Who Left School Say About the Power of Relationships," a new national research report by America's Promise Alliance, examines the decisions to stay in school, leave school and return to high school, revealing many young people experience relationship poverty that likely hinders their ability to stay on track. And nearly 500,000 students will leave school this year without graduating.

"We found that relationships are powerful vehicles for growth, particularly for young people living in challenging circumstances," said John Gomperts, president and CEO of America's Promise. "[Though,] too many young people don't have enough access to relationships with stable, caring adults who can help them get what the need to stay on track toward graduation."

While the nation's graduation rate has peaked at 81.4 percent, there are half a million young people who leave school each year without graduating. The report provides insights from the perspective of young people who receive support from peers and adults, helping to close remaining graduate gaps and downsize barriers.

The report is a follow-up to "Don't Call Them Dropouts," a 2014 national study conducted by the Alliance's research institute, Center for Promise. The previous study surveyed nearly 3,000 18- to 25-year-olds across eight cities. They found many young people endure challenging lives, and they don't necessarily have access to relationships with caring adults, which is "relationship poverty." 

"Relationship poverty is not a lack of love or family," Gomperts said, "but a lack of access to additional sources of support that can lead to a more promising future." 

The latest study explored the role that supportive relationships play in decision-making about school attendance, departure and return. Relationship poverty is a key issue for too many non-graduates. The young people who choose to leave school experience nearly twice as many adverse life experiences as those who graduated on time. The new report is part of the GradNation campaign to reach the national goal of an on-time graduation rate of 90 percent by 2020 and increased postsecondary enrollment and completion.

While it's evident that crucial relationships are vital for helping young people to stay in school, Jonathan Zaff, executive director of the Center for Promise, believes there needs to be an investigation into how, when and why these relationships matter and what it makes it the right support at the right time for young people who aren't graduating on time.

Young people who leave school without graduating face numerous challenges, and they have lower levels of support. The top seven adverse life experiences that predict leaving school include having friends who leave school without graduating, dealing with a major mental health issue, not feeling academically prepared for school, being homeless, being suspended or expelled, becoming a parent and moving homes. Also, being suspended or expelled more than doubles the odds that a young person will leave school before graduating, leading to twice as many adverse life experiences as youth who graduated on time.  

Emotional (love and caring) and instrumental (actions like providing a meal, a ride, or babysitting) are types of support that parents and adults in school provide, which often increase the number of students graduating without interruption. Additionally, in-school support reduces pre-graduation departure by 25 percent and instrumental support from adults reduces the likelihood of young people leaving by 17 percent.

Social support empowers young people to direct strengths toward educational goals. Youth with high support and high self-control are 15 percent more likely to graduate without interruption, compared to those with low support and high self-control. One "anchoring relationship" with a stable and trustworthy adult (not a family member) is often necessary, but insufficient for young people to thrive. However, that anchoring relationship can be a gateway to illuminating an existing web of supportive relationships that can offer that young person support and resources.

Young people with just two to four adverse life experiences are less likely to leave school if they have support from parents.  However, young people with five or more adverse life experiences hit an "adversity cliff," and social support alone would do little to increase the rate of them graduating on time. Relationships matter for these young people, but there must be more effort to resolve health problems, trauma, and economic and social barriers.

The report recommends that mentors, tutors and coaches help more students stay on track. Also, schools can develop systems for intervening before or at the point of departure, making it harder for students to leave and easier for them to return. The zero-tolerance discipline policies should be eradicated and health care professionals should be engaged as allies, boosting graduation rates. The report is a reminder that young people who struggle to remain in school want and need help. Therefore it's important for adults enable their success.

"They went beyond what they're supposed to and really made me feel safe," a 20-year-old said anonymously in the report about adults in his life now. "They weren't even related to me. They weren't blood or nothing, but they cared."