While most young people in the European Union attain at least an upper
secondary level of education, a significant number of students leave
school early—nearly 12 percent across the 28 EU Member States in 2013.
These numbers, however, conceal important differences related to
socioeconomic status and migration background. In 2012, the early school
leaving rate of young people born outside of the European Union was, on
average, more than double that of natives (25.4 percent compared to
11.5 percent). Along with male youth in general, students with a migrant
background have become one of two groups targeted
by EU policy recommendations to reduce early school leaving.
by EU policy recommendations to reduce early school leaving.
Research suggests that the over-representation of migrant youth in early
school leaving rates can be explained, at least to a large degree, by
other factors, including socioeconomic inequalities and the presence or
absence of resources in a specific family, community, or school context.
At the same time, a higher socioeconomic status does not provide the
same protection against early school leaving for migrant pupils as it
does for natives, suggesting other mechanisms are at play. Because
school leaving is a complex process involving the interactions of actors
and factors at the individual, institutional, and structural levels, a
comprehensive framework is needed to address the issue.
This policy brief discusses empirical
findings, theoretical insights, and promising measures that may inform
further policy action to address the disproportionately high level of
early school leaving among youth with a migrant background. The brief
strongly recommends a holistic approach that includes
institutional-level support and structural reforms to improve the
graduation rates of migrant pupils from upper secondary schools. Such an
approach should also build on the social and cultural capital available
in migrant communities, rather than only seeking to compensate for
(presumed) deficiencies in migrant households.
http://migrationpolicy.org/research/reducing-risk-youth-migrant-background-europe-will-leave-school-early
findings, theoretical insights, and promising measures that may inform
further policy action to address the disproportionately high level of
early school leaving among youth with a migrant background. The brief
strongly recommends a holistic approach that includes
institutional-level support and structural reforms to improve the
graduation rates of migrant pupils from upper secondary schools. Such an
approach should also build on the social and cultural capital available
in migrant communities, rather than only seeking to compensate for
(presumed) deficiencies in migrant households.http://migrationpolicy.org/research/reducing-risk-youth-migrant-background-europe-will-leave-school-early
