By the time a child is in first grade, experts now can predict with 75 percent accuracy whether he or she will drop out of high school.

It might seem to be science fiction—akin to Tom Cruise’s movie Minority Report, where police used technology to stop crimes and arrest criminals before they actually did anything. However, this technology, in the form of predictive formulas, is happening right now, according to a new article in Education Week.

According to the article, Thomas C. West developed a frighteningly accurate predictive formula after tracking Maryland students for a few years.

Most of the risk elements compiled by West are neither new nor surprising. First graders who miss lots of school or have behavioral problems are more likely to drop out later on in life.

Some experts worry these sorts of results can cause educators to write off children way too early: Because they expect kids to drop out later, they might not work as hard as they might to educate them now. (Time.com)

Paul Asay has covered religion for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for Plugged In and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He lives in Colorado Springs with wife Wendy and his two children. Follow him on Twitter.