School dropout rates at private K-12 schools do not occur suddenly. According to a survey conducted by the Escolas Exponenciais platform in the second half of 2025, the decision to stay at or leave a school develops over time and is influenced by factors that go beyond educational quality.

The results were presented during the Bett Brasil Managers' Forum by Lucas Faleiros, Director of Academic Success at Arco Educação .

The survey polled more than 15,900 families in 20 Brazilian states and 97 cities and found that most of them do not intend to switch schools. According to the data, 78.6% are determined to stay at their current school, while 15.3% are considering a change but have not yet made a decision. Only 3.5% said they have already decided to change schools, and 2.6% will need to leave because the school does not offer the next grade level.

For Faleiros, the group of undecided families deserves special attention. “15.3% are considering withdrawing their child but haven’t made up their minds yet, which is great news because, even with some dissatisfaction or friction, they are often willing to have their problem resolved so they can decide to stay,” he said.

The executive also pointed out that the data can be analyzed from another perspective: that of recruiting new students. “The administrator is worried about losing students, but he or she can look at it from the other side: how to recruit the 15.3% of students from schools that aren’t providing adequate services,” he suggested.

Why do families leave?

The survey found that the main reasons families leave are financial issues (32%), location far from home or work (27%), conflicting values or ideologies (24%), a lack of communication and transparency (19%), limited openness to dialogue with administrators and coordinators (18%), and insufficient attention to students’ emotional well-being (17%)

In addition: a lack of investment in improvements and innovation (16%), instances of bullying (15%), frequent teacher turnover (14%), and a lack of distinctive teaching approaches (14%).

According to Faleiros, most of these factors are directly influenced by school administration. “Aside from financial and location-related issues, to a greater or lesser extent, these are factors that are within the school’s control,” he noted.

Lucas Faleiros during a presentation of a study at the Managers' Forum. Photo: Bett Brasil.

The principal drew attention to situations in which communication problems can be interpreted by families as institutional misalignment. According to him, isolated incidents can lead to hasty decisions when there is no clear and timely dialogue on the part of the school.

“I think the magic word here is communication,” he said. “There are many instances where we see schools following best practices, but then a specific problem arises. The school ended up losing track of the issue and didn’t correct it quickly due to a lack of communication or delays in communication.”

The same reasoning, he says, applies to cases of bullying or changes in the teaching staff. “Every school, every year, generally replaces part of its teaching staff. That’s natural. What’s important is how to communicate and justify this action effectively so that families understand,” he points out.

Faleiros also argued that institutions should conduct a more in-depth analysis of the reasons that lead a family to withdraw their child from school.

“One point I strongly suggest is that, when a student leaves school, the school shouldn’t just collect written information about the reason for leaving. Someone from the school should interview the family to truly understand what actually happened,” he said. “The best way to mitigate the risk of dropouts is to understand what is happening to those who are leaving.”

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What keeps a family together?

While the factors that drive employees to leave are not always the same as those that keep them from leaving, the survey also identified the key elements that strengthen employee retention.

In the survey, 37% cited academic quality as the main reason for staying in school, followed by a safe and welcoming environment (33%), shared ideologies (29%), and close, participatory relationships (27%).

“Performance attracts. Relationships sustain,” Faleiros summarized. In the expert’s view, although it is impossible to completely eliminate truancy, institutions can take direct action on factors that strengthen families’ trust.

“It is indeed possible to have a school with higher educational quality, because that is up to the leadership. Likewise, it is possible to maintain a safe and welcoming environment,” he said.

He emphasized that the sense of being welcomed is built through the small details of everyday school life, from the way students are greeted to the relationships established with their guardians. “The extent to which a family feels that the school is truly concerned about their son or daughter makes a difference. These are signs that may seem small at times, but they influence parents’ perceptions.”

Regarding academic quality, Faleiros emphasized that the decisive factor is not the constant adoption of new approaches, but consistency in delivering educational outcomes.

“A school that appears to have high academic standards is one that consistently provides students with a quality education. Consistency and discipline help build parents’ trust in the school. That trust is what keeps families coming back,” he concluded.

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