Abstract
Italy’s tracked upper‑secondary school system requires students to make binding choices at age 14, yet mismatch between chosen tracks and students’ skills or aspirations is common. Over‑placement—selecting a more demanding track than readiness—raises the risk of grade repetition, dropout, and long‑term exclusion, while under‑placement—especially among high‑ability students from low‑SES or immigrant families—limits achievement and mobility. Evidence suggests that misalignment in assessment and expectations between families and teachers, teacher bias and families’ limited knowledge of school tracks contribute to this mismatch, and that facilitating dialogue can improve outcomes for disadvantaged students.
Current orientation practices provide information but rarely foster dialogue among students, parents, and teachers, leaving valuable insights fragmented. This project, developed within an agreement with the Municipality of Milan, proposes and evaluates a scalable intervention designed to improve alignment in track preferences through structured three‑way communication and transparent information on track characteristics. The intervention (i) formalizes preference‑sharing among students, parents, and teachers and (ii) provides comparative data on curricula, workload, promotion rates, and post‑secondary prospects. The RCT will measure impacts on track selection, first‑year failure, and dropout, assessing heterogeneity by migrant status, socioeconomic background, and gender.
By addressing a critical transition point, the study aims to generate actionable evidence for policies that promote educational inclusion and reduce inequality in Italy’s tracked system, and provide empirical contribution to understand the causes of school mismatch. If effective, the intervention could be integrated into orientation practices nationwide, offering a low‑cost, high‑impact tool to improve educational trajectories and foster social mobility among vulnerable youth.