Dropout Trends and Educational Reforms: The Role of the LOGSE in Spain

Over the last 50 years, some important reforms in European countries were aimed at improving the system of vocational studies. By contrast, the Spanish educational law (LOGSE) from 1990 moved in the opposite direction. While the LOGSE increased the number of compulsory schooling years from 8 to 10, it also eliminated vocational studies of first grade (FP-I, ages 14 to 16), thereby reducing flexibility. Dropout rates in Spain decreased from 70% in 1977 to 30% in 1995, but remained at roughly 30% until recent years, twice the EU27 average. This paper analyses the role of LOGSE, and other factors, in explaining why school dropout stopped its declining trend in the last two decades. Results show that the introduction of the new system was negative for male dropout and the abolishment of FP-I for female dropout. The reform also decreased the track choice opportunities for students and, hence, it reduced the probability of following the vocational track after completion of the compulsory stage. It is quite likely that the lack of FP-I affected more males, which in turn could help explain why we find that the reform was negative for male students while somehow positive for females..