Of the 573 students slated to graduate in the 2005--06 school year, 373 graduated (63.5%), 100 dropped out (17%), and the remainder were still in school, received a GED, had unknown status, etc. Forty of the dropouts (40%) gave "disinterest in curriculum" as the reason they left school. They demonstrated ability but lacked motivation or interest. ..more...

Assuming a dropout remains a dropout and they stay in Indiana it will cost the state $3,000/year x (say) 50 years = $150,000. Assuming all of this year's dropouts remain dropouts, that will cost the state $15 million. If 100 dropouts are produced each year, dropouts will cost (typing "Sum[15x, {x,1,2}]" into Mathematica gives) $45 million for two years or (Sum[15x, {x,1,50}]) $19 billion for 50 years. This is for just one high school!