Criteria for identifying pupils at risk of drop-out and ESL

UNICEF Serbia and the civil society organisation Centre for Education Policy with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development Republic of Serbia  implemented the project “Combating Early School Leaving in Serbia”.

The project aimed to contribute to decreasing drop-out and early school leaving of children and young people. It has defined criteria (predictors) of early school leaving that can be used by school teams in monitoring pupils at risk and preventing drop-out.

In this project, students (age 7 to 19) at risk of drop-out (target group) are identified according to following criteria: 

1. Attendance. Predictors: (a) Poor attendance; (b) Seasonal attendance
2. Academic experience and performance. Predictors: (a) Poor educational attainment; (b) Grade repetition/Late enrolment; (c) Multiple school transfers
3. Behaviour. Predictor: (a) Misbehaviour, aggressive behaviour
4. Parental involvement. Predictors: (a) Lack of family support; (b) Lack of family engagement with the institution
5. Student engagement. Predictors: (a) Lack of social engagement in school; (b) Lack of academic engagement in school; (c) History of drop-out
6. Individual and social vulnerability factors. Predictors: (a) Not being fluent in Serbian language and migrant background, (b) High family mobility; (c) Sudden change in family situation; (d) Economic hardship; (e) Lack of financial support for schooling (e.g. for school appliances, transportation etc.); (f) Substance misuse by the child or family members; (g) Family history of early school leaving (siblings in particular); (h) Being affected by bullying and violence; (i) Being affected by discrimination or segregation (children with special education needs, member of ethnic minority etc.); (j) Integration or re-integration in an institution following a long-term hospitalisation or placed in residential institution (children with special needs or young offenders), (k) Children who have been in conflict with the law (l) Living distance from school and/or attending detached classes.