Including their own parents in most cases, which is WRONG
I have a sister-in-law that taught 12 grade English at a public high school for a couple years in S Ga. To make a long story short, there were a handful of kids that cared about graduating high school and attending college afterwards, but the majority of the kids couldn't couldn't read on a middle school level and could've cared less whether they attending school or not. They were wrapped up in sports thinking they're gonna make it to the pros, and if that wasn't the case, they could make a good living for themselves living off welfare. What makes it worse, the school board down there is corrupt themselves and the parents, well, they were pretty young themselves, and pretty much went through the same scenario when they were in school.
Needless to say, she's teaching at a private school now down in the area.
It doesn't just start w/ athletic associations at universities, however, they could set an example to start with.. It start with parents and local governments where it directly affects kids. I know when I was growing up, my parents instilled school and college in me. There were no ways around that.