EL PASO, Texas -- Attending any high school, whether private or public, has many challenges and struggles that at times may be a little overwhelming for students. That's why Congress is working to see what they can do to curb the number of students who drop out before graduation.

The numbers are increasing; three out of 10 students don't graduate on time. Many of them attend so-called dropout factories -- high schools where half the student population ends up dropping out.

“Teachers need to encourage the children,” said central El Paso resident, Lorenzo Sosa.

While some parents like Sosa believe the dropout rate has a lot to do with both teachers and parents, others say it has more to do with this generation.

"The kids don't respect the teachers or their parents at all. They're growing up and they think they know it all,” said central El Paso resident, Rafael Escalante. “They just want to get out of school and go out; they don't do any studying at all."

The dropout problem haunting the nation seems to be especially prevalent in minority communities, according to recent testimony at a U.S. House of Representatives hearing. Only 55 percent of black students graduate on time, followed by 52 percent of Hispanic students, and 78 percent of white students.

"I encourage those kids that did drop out this year, get themselves into programs where they can get themselves back into school or at least get a GED,” Sosa said. “It's never too late; education is never to late to get, it's just getting back into school."

Some school administrators are doing their best to stop the growing trend.

“As educators our job is to educate young people as citizens who are productive participants in our economy," said Scott Gordon from Mastery Charter schools. “We are not even close. Our house is truly on fire."

According to researchers from John Hopkins University, there are around 2,000 dropout factories in the nation. Right now there is a bill that provides grant money to these schools and their feeder middle schools -- that's if educators can identify the students early enough so they can try to keep them on track.