Opportunity Costs, Covid-19, and Early Dropout Rate

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the rate of early leaving from education and training and its relationship with other educational variables and with the Covid-19 crisis. This analysis will show the state of the Spanish education system and its evolution over time, with its strengths and weaknesses. After explaining the concept of early educational dropout and school failure, within the evaluations and statistics of education, the chapter analyzes the evolution of early school dropout in the European Union and in Spain, relating it to other elements of the education system and paying special attention to the influence of the Covid-19 crisis on the evolution of these educational variables. The study identifies the need for educational measures focused on students finishing their ESO studies, promoting vocational training, and reducing the number of students who drop out of these cycles. It also highlights the socioeconomic gap in early school leaving and proposes several measures to improve the Spanish educational system, such as establishing tutorials for small groups of students, using online education as a complement to face-to-face education, and promoting territorial cooperation between the Spanish Ministry of Education and the regional governments.