In January 2025, Funcas, a Spanish think tank specializing in economic and social research, organized a virtual conference titled “Analysis of the Latest Data on Early School Leaving in Spain.” The event presented and analyzed the latest data from the Active Population Survey (EPA) of the National Institute of Statistics (INE) of Spain, providing a comprehensive overview of current Early School Leaving (ESL) trends and discussing potential measures to mitigate the issue. According to the data presented, Spain’s early school leaving rate decreased to 13% in 2024, marking an all-time low. This reduction is attributed in part to improvements in educational opportunities, particularly in vocational education and training (VET), as well as reinforcement programs such as PROA+. However, despite these advances, Spain remains the second-highest country in the European Union in terms of early school leaving, just behind Romania, and still far from the EU’s 2030 target of 9%.
During the conference, experts emphasized the need to implement evidence-based educational measures to encourage more students to complete upper secondary education. Among the proposed strategies were increasing incentives to develop motivation-sustaining strategies and cognitive resilience techniques. Additionally, legislative reforms were suggested, including reducing class sizes and extending the mandatory schooling age. To support students at risk, experts recommended mentoring programs, such as personalised student support, confidence-building initiatives, and academic guidance interventions.
Another key recommendation was to promote culturally representative teachers with whom students could identify more easily, thereby helping to bridge cultural and social gaps in education. Furthermore, addressing gender and regional disparities in early school leaving rates was emphasized, as male students and certain autonomous communities continue to exhibit higher dropout rates. The conference concluded with a call for sustained efforts to combat early school leaving, taking into account both structural and contextual factors influencing this issue.
In this context, the LET’S CARE project is actively contributing to these efforts by deepening the understanding of the root causes of Early School Leaving. Through the development and implementation of a model grounded in theoretical and empirical evidence, LET’S CARE seeks to support educational policies and interventions that enhance student retention and foster inclusive learning environments.
For a more detailed discussion of the topics covered, you can watch the full video of the event below:
