Preventing early school leaving: Objectives and milestones of a national project

School dropout is defined as the lack of, incomplete, or irregular access to education and training services for individuals of school age (Authority for Children and Adolescents, 2022). This complex phenomenon negatively impacts the economic and productive growth of a country. Dropping out of school before completing one’s studies is a key indicator that identifies individuals aged 18 to 24 who have attained at most a middle school diploma or who have interrupted their educational journey. The European Union aims to reduce the rate of early school leaving to below 9% by 2030. The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) also emphasizes the need for strategies to prevent early school leaving in Italy, which has the highest rate of NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) among young people. The Evidence 4 Preventing Early School Dropout (E4PED) project is a national research initiative selected under MUR-PRIN 2022 call and funded by the European Union—Next Generation EU, involving three research units from southern regions (Cagliari, Palermo, and Salerno), where school dropout is more prevalent. The project aims to provide education professionals with research evidence and effective practices to address early school leaving. Its objectives include synthesizing international evidence on the effectiveness of educational programs, analyzing the dropout phenomenon in the southern regions, and developing interventions to prevent school dropout in lower secondary schools in the South.