Reducing early school leaving in Europe

Duration 2013–2018

Institute Education Sciences Group

Department Department of Management

Autonomous University of Barcelona, Central European University, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Middlesex University, Stockholm University, University of Antwerp, University of Porto, University of Warsaw

An average of 10.6% of young people (aged 18–24) in the EU-28 were early leavers (ESLs) from education and training, in other words, they had completed at most a lower secondary education. This figure is indicative of an immense waste of young people’s potential, and also has serious social and economic consequences. Early school leaving hampers economic and social development for the individual, but also for society as a whole, especially in a globalizing and knowledge-based EU economy. The few existing studies estimate the average societal costs of ESL over the course of a lifetime to be about € 1.1 million per early school leaver.

More than 14,000 students across Europe were surveyed in order to identify the factors that lead to early school leaving.

The European RESL.eu research project was dedicated to improving education systems at the European, national, and regional levels. It involved a total of nine academic institutions and collected new empirical data that allowed for an assessment of the various factors that influence the processes involved in early school leaving and helped identify risk factors that limited students’ resilience. A survey conducted with 14,000 students across Europe revealed that ESL is the result of a long, multifactorial process impacted by factors relating to the student, their family, the school, and the community, as well as to the specifics of the national education system. These factors need to be analyzed from a holistic rather than an isolated perspective if they are to serve as the basis for effective measures for reducing early school leaving. Based on these insights, RESL.eu developed a set of policy recommendations and tools to support key actors in the education sector, NGOs, and policymakers. The toolkit (bit.ly/resltoolkit) is primarily directed at educators and practitioners working with youth and supports them in identifying and monitoring students in need of greater guidance and assistance.

The developed toolkit has been included on the European Comission’s “European Toolkit for Schools” platform.

Identifying the multifactorial process and the variety of risk factors involved contributed to a better understanding of mechanisms of early school leaving. The research has helped reduce early school leaving and thus directly contributed to SDG 4 “Quality Education.” Better education also supports the fight against poverty (SDG 1 “No Poverty”), is a basis for job security and economic growth (SDG 8 “Decent Work and Economic Growth”) and reduces inequalities among different demographic groups (SDG 10 “Reduced Inequalities”). The results have supported and influenced regional, national, and international policymakers in developing efficient education policies to strengthen inclusion within education systems, especially for socially disadvantaged adolescents. The project also led to the establishment of nine national action platforms across Europe that have helped bolster dialogue between policy makers and civil society on early school leaving. In addition, the RESL.eu toolkit was included on the European Commission’s “European Toolkit for Schools” platform, which provides educators and parents with ideas and good practices. This wider audience means it promotes a better understanding of early school leaving in the education and continuing professional development of all school staff, especially teachers, who are vital in preventing early school leaving. The toolkit has since facilitated differentiated learning support in an inclusive and individualized way, especially for young people who are at risk of school disengagement and early school leaving.

European-wide survey to explore reasons for early school leaving

Factors of early school leaving and policy recommendations to tackle early school leaving

Implementation of efficient education policies that help to prevent early school leaving and to develop inclusive systems of education