Leadership and institutional capacity shape dropout prevention

What the study found: The review found four connected themes: leadership theories such as transformational, instructional, and distributed leadership; responses to behavioural and psychosocial risk; data-informed approaches to absenteeism and disengagement through early warning systems; and school leaders’ evolving roles involving adaptive, collaborative, and technology-supported practices.
Why the authors say this matters: The study suggests that dropout prevention depends on coordinated leadership across system, school, and classroom levels. The authors conclude that schools should be understood as coordinated organisational actors, and that stronger governance alignment and institutional capacity may support broader inclusion and equity goals.
What the researchers tested: The researchers conducted a systematic literature review using the PRISMA framework. They searched Scopus and Web of Science for peer-reviewed studies published from 2020 to 2025, screened and assessed studies against inclusion and exclusion criteria, appraised quality with a Kitchenham-based framework, and synthesised 32 included studies through integrative thematic analysis.
What worked and what didn't: The review indicates a shift toward integrated leadership configurations that combine multiple leadership orientations and connect them with institutional capacity and student risk management. It also reports that data-informed coordination, collaborative structures, and early warning systems are part of the practices described in the reviewed studies; the abstract does not compare which specific approach worked best.
What to keep in mind: The review is limited to peer-reviewed, English-language studies indexed in Scopus and Web of Science and published between 2020 and 2025, so earlier foundational work and regionally indexed scholarship may be underrepresented. The abstract also notes the need for longitudinal and cross-regional analyses of implementation dynamics.

Key points

• The review synthesised 32 peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025.
• It identified four themes, including leadership theories, risk responses, early warning systems, and evolving school leader roles.
• The findings indicate a shift toward integrated leadership configurations in dropout prevention.
• The authors say dropout prevention depends on coordinated leadership across system, school, and classroom levels.
• The review is limited to English-language studies indexed in Scopus and Web of Science.