The document discusses the high school dropout epidemic in the United States. It notes that 70% of dropouts felt they could have graduated and 88% had passing grades, indicating bad grades do not fully explain why students drop out. Many dropouts said classes were uninteresting and they felt unprepared for 21st century careers. The document calls on teachers to make learning more engaging by connecting it to students' interests and future careers to help remedy the problems of disengagement and lack of preparation. It also emphasizes the need for early warning systems, increased parent involvement, and college/career readiness programs to address the dropout issue.