Objectives of the session

The papers in this symposium address policy development and implementation in a range of countries that aim to provide equitable education by accommodating students’ needs, and retain students in secondary education. The presentations stem from various empirical projects, and aim to provide an overview of previous international research and present new empirical contributions that examine current national policy initiatives, and policy implementation in terms of strategies of policy makers and administrators' on province/district levels. The session addresses the nexus between policy and research aiming to come up with implications for further work in and across these fields.

Overview of relevant research

International research on student dropout describes its complex nature. School dropouts affect high-income as well as low-income countries. In the past, researchers have focused on identifying key characteristics of students who drop out, such as gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, but also various social, contextual, and psychiatric risk factors, as well as disabilities (Irwin et al. 2021; Atwell et al., 2020; Abebe et al., 2015; Doll et al., 2013). Studies have also found that students who leave high school without obtaining a diploma are at increased risk of later poverty, health problems, unemployment and involvement in the criminal justice system (Ressa & Andrews, 2022; Maynard et al, 2015). Clear connections have been found between a high degree of truancy and absenteeism among students in primary and lower secondary school and drop out in upper secondary school (Gottfried, 2014). More recent studies have turned their attention to learners who have not yet obtained a diploma, but who nevertheless continue. These students may continue into their fifth or sixth year of high school before obtaining a diploma, or leave to seek an alternative or eventually drop out.

Scholarly/scientific significance

This field of research has evolved over time and includes contributions from multiple disciplines. Studies show that dropout is understood and constituted differently depending on research disciplines, methodologies and contexts. This session provides insights into how policymakers can improve early identification systems and how various levels in the school system—national, state/county, municipal, and school—can develop interventions that increase student completion. Due to the political pressure to reduce dropout in many countries, there is a danger that research takes political frameworks for granted and reproduces them instead of challenging them. Therefore, this session addresses the nexus between policy and research aiming to come up with implications for further work in and across these fields.

Structure of the session

The first paper compares and analyses educational policies to prevent student dropout and retain students in the school system across 10  European countries. The second paper analyses policy development in Argentina, as well as policy implementation in selected provinces aiming to protect student trajectories. The third paper analyses key strategies applied by district administrators in Norway to retain students and reduce dropout. The fourth paper presents findings from the High School Longitudinal Study  that expands the research on high school completion by incorporating national-level insights into persisters in the USA. Critical questions and comments from the discussant will facilitate discussions which will have relevance for a wider international audience.

Abebe, D. S., Frøyland, L. R., Bakken, A., & Von Soest, T. (2016). Municipal-level differences in depressive symptoms among adolescents in Norway: Results from the cross-national Ungdata study. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 44(1), 47–54. Atwell, M. N., Balfanz, R., Manspile, E., Byrnes, V., & Bridgeland, J. M. (2020). Building a grad nation: Progress and challenge in raising high school graduation rates [Annual Update 2020]. Civic. https://files.eric.ed.gov/ fulltext/ED610686.pdf Authors (2024). Doll, J. J., Eslami, Z., & Walters, L. (2013). Understanding why students drop out of high school, according to their own reports: Are they pushed or pulled, or do they fall out? A comparative analysis of seven nationally representative studies. SAGE Open. Gottfried, M. A. (2014). Chronic Absenteeism and Its Effects on Students' Academic and Socioemotional Outcomes. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 19(2), 53-75. Ingul, J. M., Klöckner, C. A. Silverman, W. K. & Nordahl, H. M. (2012). Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 17(2), 93–100. Maynard, B. R., Salas-Wright, C. P., & Vaughn, M. G. (2015). High school dropouts in emerging adulthood: Substance use, mental health problems, and crime. Community Mental Health Journal, 51, 289–299. Ressa, T. & Andrews, A. (2022). High School Dropout Dilemma in America and the Importance of Reformation of Education Systems to Empower All Students. International Journal of Modern Education Studies, 6(2), 423-447.