What is the real dropout rate in Ontario?

The actual number of high school dropouts in Ontario is an interesting topic for debate. Government uses a number to justify public policy or electoral promises. School boards and others in education use the number of dropouts to justify proposed changes or perceived successes of programs. Voters and parents use the numbers to form an opinion on the education system. International corporations use the numbers to make decisions on whether or not to move their industry to Ontario. Because so many are interested, the stakes surrounding the real number of dropouts are very high. Back to the original question: what is the real dropout rate in Ontario?

The answer may surprise you. We do not know for sure what the actual dropout rate of students is in Ontario. One of the...