Acompanya’m

ACOMPANYA’M: PROGRAMA D’ORIENTACIÓ PER A L’ÈXIT EDUCATIU 

Main investigator: Aina Tarabini 

Reference: EDU145/23/000014 

Early School Leaving (ESL) remains a persistent issue in European education, particularly during the transition from compulsory to post-compulsory schooling. Despite a decline in dropout rates, Catalonia (14%) and Spain (13.6%) still exceed the EU average of 9.6% and fall short of the 2030 target of 9%. ESL disproportionately affects students from migrant and low-income backgrounds, leading to precarious employment, social vulnerability, and economic instability. Additionally, early school leavers experience poorer health outcomes, weaker social networks, and reduced civic participation, reinforcing broader social inequalities. 

At the same time, ESL is understood as a process shaped by social, institutional, and systemic factors. Transitions between educational stages—especially from compulsory to post-compulsory education—are critical in shaping student trajectories. These transitions are influenced not only by material constraints but also by symbolic and subjective factors, such as expectations and perceived opportunities. Schools’ pedagogical approaches, guidance strategies, and teachers’ beliefs significantly impact students’ engagement and aspirations. 

Acompanya’m is a project that focuses on the role of schools’ pedagogical approaches, guidance strategies, and teachers’ beliefs in shaping students’ engagement or disengagement. Designed to support students in their final year of compulsory education and facilitate their transition to post-compulsory studies, it is based on three principles: recognizing ESL as a complex issue, strengthening teacher-student relationships, and fostering community involvement. The program consists of two phases. First, teachers (especially tutors and guidance counselors) receive specialized training to improve their capacity to identify at-risk students and provide personalized support, including assistance with pre-registration and enrollment in post-compulsory education. Second, students participate in structured guidance sessions and career orientation workshops focusing on decision-making skills, academic self-perception, and awareness of available educational pathways. 

An experimental evaluation involving 2,300 students across 40 schools assesses the program’s impact. Schools are divided into 20 treatment and 20 control groups, measuring pre-registration, official enrollment, and retention beyond the first semester. A mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and focus groups, provides comprehensive insights into the effectiveness and the impact of Acompanya’m in reducing ESL and broadening students’ academic and professional horizons. 

Project Length: 2023-2026 

Founding Source/s: Catalan Department of Education and Professional Training 

Type: Competitive Project 

Webpage: https://acompanyam.com/