Active Cross-sectoral Cooperation for Educational and Social Success_UP

<< Background >>Early School Leaving (ESL) remains a persistent challenge impacting the educational, social, and economic well-being of communities across EU. Schools face significant difficulties in preventing ESL. Vulnerable families encounter barriers limiting their active involvement in education, while teachers and school leaders require tools to intervene effectively.ACCESS UP was designed to address these challenges by developing collaborative tools to support schools, teachers, students, and families and promote a systemic response.The project tackled four key needs:1.Reducing the educational gap: disadvantaged students score lower in reading literacy(OECD,2019), a crucial competence for preventing implicit dropout and school disengagement.2.Improving family involvement: cultural and practical barriers often hinder dialogue between schools and vulnerable families.3.Early identification of risks: schools struggle to monitor ESL risks and protective factors in an integrated and continuous way.4.Promoting a culture of continuous improvement: schools require structured tools to strengthen their efforts in preventing ESL.ACCESS UP addressed these challenges with innovative and inclusive approaches.<< Objectives >>The project aimed to provide a comprehensive and effective response to the challenge of Early School Leaving (ESL) by equipping schools, teachers, and families with innovative tools and strategies. The ultimate goal was to create a sustainable framework to reduce ESL rates and support vulnerable students.Key objectives included: 1)Strengthening partnerships between schools and families by fostering trust and collaboration to ensure active parental involvement, particularly in disadvantaged contexts.2)Boosting students’ engagement and academic performance with a focus on reading literacy as a critical skill to combat functional dropout and enhance motivation for continued learning.3)Enhancing schools' ability to identify and respond to ESL risks through tools that integrate risk and protective factor analysis, enabling real-time monitoring and tailored interventions for at-risk students.4) Embedding continuous improvement processes within schools to ensure ESL prevention strategies evolve through data-driven self-assessment and systematic evaluation.The project sought to align educational practices with inclusive, proactive, and collaborative solutions to deliver long-term impact on equity and inclusion in education.<< Implementation >> The ACCESS UP project implemented a diverse range of activities, structured around research, design, piloting, and training to address Early School Leaving (ESL) systematically:-Research and development: activities began with exploratory research, focus groups, and the analysis of national and international best practices. These insights informed the development of the Playbook (R1), the conceptual framework for the WebApp (R3), and the QA system (R4).-Co-design workshops: teachers, researchers, and stakeholders collaborated in workshops to design the Digital Educational Game (R2) and the WebApp (R3). These sessions ensured the tools addressed real needs in schools.-Local training and capacity building: training sessions were conducted to familiarize educators with the Playbook (R1), the QA system (R4), and the WebApp (R3). These sessions supported the practical application of the tools in schools.Pilot testing: each tool was piloted extensively.The Playbook (R1) was tested with families and educators to refine its guidelines.The Digital Educational Game (R2) involved students in a trial to improve literacy and engagement.The WebApp (R3) and QA system (R4) were tested by educators to evaluate usability and effectiveness.-Dissemination and scaling: throughout the project, transnational meetings, workshops, and public events ensured widespread dissemination and provided feedback to enhance scalability and sustainability.This structured implementation enabled the project to address ESL through collaborative, inclusive, and practical solutions<< Results >>The ACCESS UP project delivered a series of tangible and impactful outcomes, directly addressing the challenge of Early School Leaving (ESL). These include: 1)Playbook for parental engagement: a comprehensive guide offering schools practical tools, activities, and strategies to actively involve families in the educational process. It had a particular impact in supporting families from disadvantaged or marginalized backgrounds, fostering collaboration between home and school.2)Digital educational game: an interactive tool designed to improve students’ reading literacy and engagement. Piloted with the first two years of upper secondary school, it contributed to enhancing motivation and foundational skills, supporting students at higher risk of implicit school dropout.3)Dynamic school dropout risk assessment WebApp: a digital platform enabling schools to assess the risk of school dropout by integrating and balancing risk and protective factors. This analysis allows for tailored and timely interventions, providing concrete support to address the specific needs of students and contexts.4)Quick-scan for school self-assessment: a system to evaluate and improve school strategies and policies for tackling ESL. Through structured self-assessment processes, schools received actionable feedback to refine their practices and promote continuous improvement.In addition to these outputs, the project achieved:-strengthened competencies among educators and school leaders, equipping them with tools and knowledge to effectively apply the developed solutions.-enhanced collaboration between schools and families, fostering more inclusive educational environments.-dissemination of project results: the outcomes were presented at local and international events, raising awareness on the issue of school dropout and encouraging the adoption of the developed solutions.These results have reinforced the role of schools as key drivers of inclusion and educational success.