Abstract:

Background:
The survey investigates the risk factors of early school leaving in students with different background of origins, attending the first and second level of secondary school. Previous research identifies among risk factors the attitudes towards the experience at school (Dweck, 2006) and expectations about the opportunities for the future offered by the school (Thompson, 2017). The following aspects have been investigated:
1. School delay and risk of abandonment;
2. The value attributed to the school by the students.

Method:
Sample:
The survey involved a total of 527 students (first level n = 244; second level n = 283), developed inside the IMPACT FVG-FAMI project. 80 students (15.18%) come from Third Countries (TC), 75 (14.42%) have a Migratory Background (MB), and 371 (70.4%) belonging to the European Community (UE). The independent variables assumed in the analysis are: the "Immigrant Background" of the students and the risk of "Drop out".

Measure:
The students answered an online questionnaire, composed of closed items. The questionnaire was structured to investigate different aspects involved in the learning process, and in the phenomenon of early school leaving.

Results:
1. 16% of students were in school delay; the delay increases in the transition from the first degree schools to the second degree. Students coming from TC and with MB are significantly more in delay than EU students (late TC = 55%; MB = 28.9%; EU = 19.7%). 20% of TC students, declare to have thought to leave school, compared to 31% of students with MB and EU.
2. Generally students think that school is very useful to find good jobs and to acquire useful skills for life in general. Students at risk significantly believe that the school is less necessary to develop the ability of critical thinking (p <0.05).

Conclusion:
Students coming from TC invest in the school, despite they are more at risk of failure. This demonstrates their resilience, which should be recognized and supported by teachers and the institutions. The “Drop out” variable rather than the “Immigrant Background” is significantly correlates with the expectations on the school. The results suggest the need for a complete rethinking the scholastic experience, through research-action pathways to modify the teaching practice to support learning processes of student at risk.

References:
[1] Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.
[2] Thompson, I. (2017). Tackling Social Disadvantage Through Teacher Education. London: Critical Publishing.

Keywords:

Early school leaving, immigrant background, Attribution to the school, Risk of school failure, Foreign students.