Fracaso escolar y abandono educativo temprano en Educación Secundaria Obligatoriaun estudio integrado

Abstract

The early school leavers produce a problem of schooling failure, as well as professionally and economically, creating a mass of unprepared teenagers, without any kind of qualification or professional certification which end up depending economically from their families or the State. The policies, which our country has been developing against early school dropouts, are not having the wished results. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a reliable and updated study analysing the reasons behind the early school leavers, what reality lies behind the abandonment rate presented by the school centres of our sample, and what possible alternatives are there in order to make this situation better. In our research we present an integrated study inserting several instruments quantitative and qualitative techniques. The study population are the ESO centres. The study sample is a non-random, geographically stratified sample by 20 centres. We have developed an extensive study with a more quantitative point of view, through the use of questionnaires to the tutors of 2º ESO, student counsellors and members of the management team of the sample centres. Furthermore, we have carried out two case studies, of a more qualitative profile, in centres that have a good early school drop-out prevention and intervention practices. We have used interviews, observations, questionnaires, document analysis and memorandums. There are several objectives that we have established in our study to know: conceptualization, causes, affected population, measures and achievements and necessities. After analysing the data, we find necessary to implement a series of basic matters, such as: a State Education Pact with an equal participation of all the agents, an integral formation plan and quality of teaching, as well as an improvement plan of a professional career with the adequate incentives. It is also mandatory to improve the conditions of the current education regarding ratios, resources or timetables; and ending with the duality of public schools vs. concerted schools is also necessary. And finally, to give the student counsellors the role of educational quality they require, to have a curriculum and flexible educational system and to promote Learning Communities as a strategy towards success.