One reason why drop-out rates are high is that some students don’t see the connection between what they’re being taught in school and what they want to do when they leave school.
In order to be motivated to learn math, language, or science, students need to understand that this knowledge is relevant to the careers they want - that these courses are the foundation on which they will build their skills and interests. No one who learns a musical instrument practices scales so that they can be really good at playing scales.