Tackling Early School Leaving 6 September 2013 Naples Dr. Ilona Murphy ICF-GHK Early Warning Systems

icfi.com | ghkint.com Context of our work  Europe 2020 headline target to bring down the share of early school leavers to below 10% by 2020  Council Recommendation of 28 June 2011 on policies to reduce ESL  Highlights the need for comprehensive policies (prevention, intervention and compensation)  European Commission Thematic Working Group on Early School Leaving (ESL) established Dec 2011

icfi.com | ghkint.com TWG policy context and activities  Activities include: –Two Peer Learning Activities (Netherlands and France) –Peer Review on policies to reduce ESL –Mapping exercises (data collection, early warning systems, cost of ESL) –Report on comprehensive policies against ESL

icfi.com | ghkint.com Early school leaving in Europe – scale of the problem  In 2012, 12.9% 18 to 24 years old had not completed upper secondary education and no longer in education and training  Represents 5.5 million young people  More young men than young women are ESL  ESL major problem for disadvantaged minorities  More pronounced in VET  Wide disparities among European countries and regions  Unemployment rate amongst early school leavers was 40.1% in economic crisis is having diverging impacts on ESL

icfi.com | ghkint.com ESL rate 2012, Europe 2020 target and national targets

icfi.com | ghkint.com Early warning systems (EWS) in Europe – mapping exercise  EWS ‘broad term’, taking different forms - definition and characteristics are tentative  EWS collect and use data on students to identify risk factors and trigger follow up  Aim is to warn school staff of young people at risk  EWS typically integral to mainstream school monitoring and management systems  A small number of countries have developed separate systems, others have no such systems in place

icfi.com | ghkint.com Variations in approach Austria: Youth Coaching programme (providing advice and guidance to young people identified as being at risk Croatia: School informs partners when young people miss school. E-register- improve communication between schools and parents Bulgaria: Legislation stipulates teachers monitor attendance and inform parents Ireland: Legislation requires schools to report annually to the National Education Welfare Board Sweden: Legislation in place but broader measures to help teachers, parents and students identify risks Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia: New legislation to collect data on attendance EWS largely driven by national legislation but implementation tends to be local

icfi.com | ghkint.com EWS signals Poor attendance/truancy - different levels of absence trigger a warning Poor behaviour - often based on national regulations governing school and/or school standards Academic achievement / test results Repetition of academic year - problematic and should be replaced with additional support Other - psycho-social problems, language barriers Schools and teachers play an important role in recognising early signs of disengagement

icfi.com | ghkint.com Other methods to identify youth at risk – country examples Collaboration Austria: youth coaches work with young people Hungary: Person employed with responsibility for child/youth welfare Sweden: All school personnel obliged to report person identified at risk Belgium: Teachers involved in mediation Ireland: School Completion Programme to help young people in disadvantaged areas Research and data UK England: Risk of NEET indicators Student registration systems Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovakia – systems assist in identification of EWS through recording absences and academic achievement

icfi.com | ghkint.com Responses to EWS Poland, Belgium – parents informed Estonia – e-Kool system (system of sharing data between school and parents) Involve parents Lithuania – support extended to families Estonia – student assistance roundtables Belgium – broad intervention, mediation services Multi-disciplinary support team Sweden – action programme set up to support young people in need Individual action plans Teachers involved in reporting must be part of the solution to ensure link between reporting and intervening Teacher involvement Responses should be accompanied by clear and timely support Some countries impose fines, sanctions and prosecution

icfi.com | ghkint.com Impact of EWS  Little evidence of the impact of EWS – evaluations are rare, difficult to identify causality between trends  Eurostat and national data show reductions in ESL – view that EWS have contributed to reduction  More resources and evaluation of approaches required –How are EWS defined in different European countries? –When schools or local authorities report absences – what is the outcome of this activity? –What is the data used for? Does it inform policy making? How accessible is it to users? –What distinguishes EWS from being a bureaucratic exercise from systems that address EWS? –How do countries determine different EWS? –How is collaboration and partnerships working in practice?

icfi.com | ghkint.com Key lessons, success factors and challenges  Key lessons and success factors: –Important role of teachers –Importance of individual support and guidance for students –Cooperation between schools, supporting systems, professionals  Challenges: –Budget cuts, ensuring legal responsibilities related to EWS are implemented, need for user-friendly data systems, lack of training on ESL, lack of coordination, establishing buy-in, unwillingness of some schools

icfi.com | ghkint.com Concluding remarks  Clear definition of EWS  A comprehensive list of EWS must be broader than monitoring absenteeism alone (social, family related issues)  EWS should be evidenced based and operate through a process of identification/assessment of signals – intervening - monitoring  EWS must be accompanied by clear and timely support  EWS must be evaluated and monitored to ensure efficiency and effectiveness within the context of the school

icfi.com | ghkint.com Thank you for your attention

icfi.com | ghkint.com