Reducing the dropout rate from vocational schools

Abstract:

In closer partnership with vocational schools, RFI will develop and trial different intervention activities aimed at retaining students at vocational schools in order to arrive at an intervention prototype, which can be subject to pilot implementation and evaluation in a subsequent phase. In particular, we will draw on the vast amount of international evidence on effective means of reducing dropout rates to identify a set of relevant and evidence-based intervention components; we will establish an expert committee to function as a sounding board; we will combine existing register data with administrative data collected at the school level to allow for a richer analysis of which intra-school factors correlate with student dropout; and we will simultaneously map the user journey of students to understand existing practices at high and low performing schools. Jointly, these activities will also result in a list of possible evidence-based intervention components suitable for trial in and adjustment to the Danish vocational school setting. To be able to identify those intervention components and activities, which resonate best with the Danish vocational school system, we will announce a call for proposals for external donations to undertake such trial and adjustment activities in close collaboration with us. Ultimately, we will arrive at a well-described prototype, which can be piloted in a subsequent phase.