Predicting and Preventing School Dropout with Business Intelligence: Insights from a Systematic Review

Abstract

School dropout in higher education remains a significant global challenge with profound socioeconomic consequences. To address this complex issue, educational institutions increasingly rely on business intelligence (BI) and related predictive analytics, such as machine learning and data mining techniques. This systematic review critically examines the application of BI and predictive analytics for analyzing and preventing student dropout, synthesizing evidence from 230 studies published globally between 1996 and 2025. We collected literature from the Google Scholar and Scopus databases using a comprehensive search strategy, incorporating keywords such as “business intelligence”, “machine learning”, and “big data”. The results highlight a wide range of predictive tools and methodologies, notably data visualization platforms (e.g., Power BI) and algorithms like decision trees, Random Forest, and logistic regression, demonstrating effectiveness in identifying dropout patterns and at-risk students. Common predictive variables included personal, socioeconomic, academic, institutional, and engagement-related factors, reflecting dropout’s multifaceted nature. Critical challenges identified include data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR and FERPA), limited data integration capabilities, interpretability of advanced models, ethical considerations, and educators’ capacity to leverage BI effectively. Despite these challenges, BI applications significantly enhance institutions’ ability to predict dropout accurately and implement timely, targeted interventions. This review emphasizes the need for ongoing research on integrating ethical AI-driven analytics and scaling BI solutions across diverse educational contexts to reduce dropout rates effectively and sustainably.