New reporting drawing on recent schooling data says nearly one in five Australian students does not finish school by not progressing to Year 12. The analyses note that approximately 81.5% of students who start Year 10 continue on to Year 12, implying that the remaining cohort leaves before completing secondary education. Both sources emphasize that schools can act early, rather than waiting until later years, to improve student retention. They point to three broad, practical approaches high schools can implement from the start of secondary schooling to support students through to Year 12. While the specific recommendations are framed slightly differently across the two articles, the overall message is consistent: student retention improves when schools build systems that keep students engaged, address barriers that emerge during high school, and provide timely support to help students continue their studies. The articles do not present a single “fix,” but instead focus on coordinated school-level actions aimed at reducing dropout rates and helping more students complete Year 12.