Early identification of students at risk of success/failure in primary education: needs, challenges and goals of a longitudinal assessment

Currently, education institutions are challenged to define strategic and intervention plans aimed at promoting success and preventing failure, which requires relevant information to support enlightened decision-making. In this context, it becomes central to know who the students (intrapersonal assessment) are and how their performances are influenced by their personal and family characteristics (interpersonal assessment), as well as the way they interact with the school context (transpersonal assessment). Starting from the most recent trends of theoretical approach of Educational Psychology and the leanings of the national and international educational policies, linked with the need to fully understand the reality of Portuguese schools, with special focus in primary schools are the critical motivations of the present research project. The main goal of this study is, therefore, to contribute to understand the phenomenon of success and failure in the primary school, from a longitudinal perspective. In order to achieve this goal, firstly it was needing to identify and to understand the core variables that explain this success/failure. On the other hand, it was demanding also to recognise the students at risk timely and to outline the intervention strategy best suited for each student, considering the personal, social and contextual features. As a result, the aim is to identify predictable success or failure profiles, creating an early detection system that works as an efficient decision support system enabling school managers to identify risks and opportunities. An intentional and early intervention was the central goal of all research effort. For this purpose, a technological tool will be developed that can be made available to school centres, allowing school managers to intervene early in the promotion of success and prevention of school failure.