The perspective of the professionals in understanding and articulating responses to the Early School Leaving (ESL)

Resumen

In this paper, the main findings of a qualitative research on this phenomenon in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) are showed. In particular, the discourses of actors involved for tackling the ESL and their representations are analyzed. It supports of programs and measures developed in municipalities in this Region with high dropout rates and socioeconomic characteristics of risk. It takes a qualitative approach because we want to identify the professional discourses involved in the ESL process. With a theoretical sampling and triangulation of sources, agents and analysis techniques, the results evidence: a) Two positions: discourses centered on student-family-environment and their implications, and those concerned with the organization of resources and intervention methodologies, and b) Progress towards the integration of resources and the opening to the environment as a area for collaboration. To sum up, a comprehensive understanding and flexible on ESL is shared by all agents, but the current situation has limitations on the supply and disposition of resources to prevent or combat the ESL.