This article provides information, questions, and answers about current approaches to dropping the dropout rate of our students. For example, our current model of education is based on the mass production or assembly line model promoted by Henry Ford back in early years of the 1900s (1900-1920). This model served both factory production and education well as most innovations do as revealed by initial rapid improvements graphically displayed by the S Curve. All models have built-in error rates. In the case of the Ford Assembly the error rate was approximately 27%, meaning the assembly line, when operated optimally, 27% of the product would be flawed. When this model is applied to education you can expect an error rate (dropout rate) of 27%. Since systems have great difficulty operating optimally the rate in practice will be higher. The environment is a key factor. Knowing what we know about our typical school in America you would expect a dropout rate of about 35-40%. In terms of our inner city schools, one would expect to have a higher error rate of about 40-65%. Key topics that the author covers include the high cost and low return of investment in education; people problems vs. systems problems; group think; gaming the system; and efficiency. The American educational system is challenged as never before. Perhaps it is finally time to consider the concepts of Peter Senge, the MIT author of the seminal work in organization performance, "The Fifth Discipline," who listed "systems thinking" as the most important of the disciplines in terms of promoting individual and organization performance.