Tool for screening risk of dropout

In order to support teachers and schools in the process of identifying and monitoring students at risk of dropping out, three instruments were proposed.

Questionnairy for Class Teachers consist of 3 main domains. The first domain comprises of background information on student which proved to be relevant for identifying certain patterns of the dropout at school level, as well as for the planning student centered intervention. The two following areas cover signals of dropout defined as part of the EWS system developed within CroCoos project. For each signal, relevant data are recquired and 3 level treshholds are set (0-risk is not recognizable, 1-mild risk of dropout, 2-high risk of dropout). Class teachers should provide data based on different sources, e.g. the school evidence, interview with student, interview with parents, disscussion with other teachers, but also use scores on students' surveys on engagement and bullying. The instrument provide specific risk assessments on 6 different signals, but also gives an overall assessment of risk of dropping out.

We should have in mind that these results are just indicators of the risk, which alarm teachers to pay more attention and provide more intensive support for the specific student. In other words, these results should not be used as an excuse for not supporting all students or as an argument for low expectations of students at risk.

More detailed instruments on students' surveys follows.

Student Engagement, Motivation, & Beliefs Survey is open source instrument developed as part of the The Road Map Project (http://www.roadmapproject.org/). It consists of 25 items (excluding demographic questions). The items are of 5-point Likert-type scale, with the following answer options: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, and 5 = Strongly Agree. The stems are “I” statements describing a particular behavior, strategy or disposition. It proved to have good psychometric properties on sample of USA students from 5^th  through 12^th grade. This is self-reported instrument, easily administered to the students.

Adolescent Peer Relations instrument is also student's self-reported instrument developed by Parada (2000)^[2]. This is 6 factor instrument (verbal, social, physical facets of bullying and victimization) comprised of 36 items describing experience of bulling and being victim of bullying. Students are answering on 6 point frequency scale: Never, Sometimes, Once or Twice a Month, Once a Week, Several Times a Week, Everyday.

Additionally, a tool for storing and analysing data about the students is developed.

User’s guide, equipment:

Questionnaires and pens (by the number of participants)

• Questionnaire for class teachers
• Student engagement, motivation and beliefs survey
• Adolescent peer relations instrument
• EWS table      

^[2] Parada, R. H. (2000). Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument: A theoretical and empirical basis for the measurement of participant roles in bullying and victimization of adolescence: An interim test manual and a research monograph: A test manual. Penrith South, DC, Australia: Publication Unit, Self-concept Enhancement and Learning Facilitation (SELF) Research Centre, University of Western Sydney.