Tackling early school leaving: a qualitative evaluation of the Program for the Improvement of Learning and Performance in Asturias
Keywords:
dropout prevention, politics of education, educational assessment, evaluation methods, secondary education, school truancyAbstract
The article assesses the Program for the Improvement of Learning and Performance (PMAR, by its Spanish acronym), which Spain has been using since the 2013 educational reform in the fight against premature school leaving. Although there is some work evaluating the implementation process of this program in its earliest stages, this study is the first to provide results since its full implementation. The research is based upon thirty semi-structured interviews carried out with principals, guidance counsellors, teachers and students in the Spanish region of Asturias. Despite the unsympathetic stance on the 2013 reform among the teaching community, and despite the fears that the changes in ESL prevention would reduce graduation in compulsory education, the general perception of the PMAR seems to be a positive one. At the same time, there are some reservations regarding the fact that the program does not extend to secondary school-graduation. Additionally, the research reveals some difficulties in defining the target population of candidates for the program, with the risk of mixing those students with difficulties and those whose problem is more a lack of interest in graduating. Schools are also concerned about the lack of qualified staff to deal with groups with specific needs, the excessive turnover of temporary teaching staff, and the disappearance of the figure of the assigned tutor, who was part of the previous initiative aimed at reducing early school-leaving (Curricular Diversification Programs). Also significant is the absence of practical modules for students that require them. Finally, absenteeism was identified as one of the most widespread problems in this type of program, especially among the most vulnerable pupils. Problems in the family environment are repeatedly identified among the causes of absenteeism. Thus, the research concludes that families should appear as key informants for an understanding of the problem of early school leaving in future research.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Ángel Alonso-Domínguez, Rosario González Arias, Israel Escudero-Castillo, Francisco Javier Mato Díaz
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Accepted 2024-03-18
