The role of grade repetition and academic achievement in early school dropout

Abstract

Given the serious negative consequences of dropping out of school for both the individual and society, researchers have tried to identify the factors that predict students’ drop out, in the hope of developing interventions that improve risky processes. Taking into account the difficulties in measuring and assessing the factors affecting the abandonments that have already occurred and assuming the relationship between the intention to abandon and the actual abandonment, it seems essential to develop a broad characterization of the students who intend to give up. At this point, with a sample of 267 Spanish students (48.7% women; Mage=14.38; SD=1.09) of the 2nd (no=138) and the 3rd (n=129) grade of Secondary Education, the incidence of repetition and academic performance on the intention to leave before completing compulsory secondary education are explored. The results of this work suggest that the probability of early abandonment is significantly higher among those who have repeated one or two courses in the high school than among those who have not repeated in that educational stage (OR= 8,769, IC 95% 2,304-33,378; Q=.79) and that the probability of quitting may also be higher among students who report lower than average academic performance than among those who report above-average performance (OR= 4,336, IC 95% ,968-19,421; Q=.64). In light of our results, while not currently repeating or not having repeated in Primary Education could guarantee, to some extent, the intention to complete the studies, neither these factors nor the low ratings are established as direct predictors of the intention of early abandonment. In the light of these results, the personal and motivational profile of early school drop-out may continue to be explored.

Keywords

• abandono escolar temprano
• repetición de curso
• rendimiento académico
• intención de abandono