From roll call to teaching when the teacher is absent: What works against dropouts?

BarcelonaIn Catalonia, the early school leaving rate is 13.7% (students who drop out before turning 18). Although there is a significant socioeconomic motivation, many of the reasons that lead adolescents to leave school earlier than they would like are hidden behind seemingly insignificant daily practices. This is indicated by the study. Evaluation of measures to ensure the continuity of studies until the age of 18, An analysis that the Barcelona Education Consortium commissioned from the consulting firm KSNET to determine which of the actions being carried out in vulnerable schools in the Catalan capital are most effective in combating early school leaving.

To conduct the study, 137 highly vulnerable schools in Barcelona—with more than 30% of students from socioeconomically vulnerable backgrounds—were analyzed. A distinction was made between the practices carried out by schools with lower than expected dropout rates, taking into account the characteristics of their students, and those that, on the contrary, were considered higher than expected. In this way, it was detected that certain dynamics are repeated in the "most effective" schools in the fight against early school leaving, including aspects as rudimentary as daily attendance records and ensuring that when a teacher goes on sick leave, their subject continues to be taught.

Thus, the study has found that more than 70% of vulnerable secondary schools that stand out for having a lower-than-expected dropout rate keep a daily record of student attendance—some even monitor who attends each time slot. In fact, the report states that students at schools where attendance is always taken are between 10 and 14 percentage points less likely to drop out. However, it has been found that notifying the family when a student does not come to class has no additional positive impact.

Another relevant factor in the fight against dropout is continuity in teaching subjects. In this sense, 36.8% of secondary schools with lower dropout rates than expected prioritize continuing to teach and progress through the coursework when a teacher is absent, even if the teacher is not replaced. The study directly links frequent teacher absences with a higher likelihood of student dropouts. Specifically, it indicates that more than three absences on average per teacher in a year can increase the likelihood of a student disengaging from education by almost three points.

Reading to combat abandonment

The analysis commissioned by the Barcelona Education Consortium also takes into account the impact that reading habits can have on the likelihood of dropping out of school. In this regard, the study confirms that 50% of schools with a low dropout rate "always" promote reading, and 33% organize individual reading activities in the classroom, a practice not implemented by any of the schools with the most alarming dropout rates.

Finally, the relationship between schools and families is also a key factor in reducing the dropout rate. According to the analysis, 68.4% of the most effective schools have a communication plan with families, and 50% send them satisfaction surveys.