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ABSTRACT The most outstanding event in the Spanish education system in the past two decades has been the overall improvement of enrolment in all educational levels. However, the primary school dropout rate in Spain is relatively high, and the evidence indicates that being a dropout is a permanent condition. This is the first study on dropouts in Spain, and it uses individual-level data from the Living and Working Conditions Survey (1985) to analyze the determinants of dropping out of primary school in Spain. This paper focuses on the impact of family socio-economic background and labour market conditions on dropping out. The results from logistic regression for dropping out are consistent with earlier literature. Specifically, they indicate that family socio-economic status variables are significant factors in determining the probability of dropping out, and the youth labour market conditions also have an impact on primary school dropout behaviour. Finally, some policy recommendations are discussed.
Introduction
The most outstanding event in the Spanish education system in the past decade has been the overall improvement of enrolment in all educational levels. However, the primary school dropout rate in Spain is relatively high, and the evidence indicates that being a dropout is a permanent condition. Primary school dropouts are one of the most pressing social problems in Spain. To the best of our knowledge, no other study has undertaken the identification of some of the economic determinants in Spain primary school dropouts. This paper empirically studies these determinants through the application of a logit model with instrumental variables (an IV ordered logit estimation).
During the early 1980s, Spain experienced profound changes affecting their political, social, and economic systems. They were years of educational reforms, development of vocational education, and expansion of the university system. Nevertheless, the basics of the educational system was established in 1970 when compulsory school attendance was required for children up to 14 years of age (currently, compulsory education has been extended up to 16). Primary school had, in 1985, eight grades of compulsory attendance, usually for ages between 6 and 14 years. Successful students typically move from primary to secondary school when they are 14 or 15 years old, and then move from secondary school to higher education at the age of 18-19. The new...