Trond Buland

Dropout in a School for All: Individual or Systemic Solutions?

The chapter summarizes some important knowledge gained through a decade of work on preventing dropout in Norwegian school. The reforms during the 1990s established an upper secondary school for all in Norway, by guaranteeing a place for all pupils. As a result close to 100 % of all pupils progress to upper secondary school. During the same period, local and central authorities realized that this success was only partial. The dropout rate was high, in some study programs as high as 30 %. During the same period, Norwegian local government went through a period characterized by new public management and reduction of local administration. International as well as Norwegian studies of various efforts to reduce dropout show that this is a complex problem. Heterogeneous tools are needed, and it is necessary to establish this work at lower levels in primary and lower secondary schools as well. Local actors need to develop policies aimed at both individual students and at the school system. Due to the reduction in local government, school owners often lack the ability to play their needed role in this important work.