In much of Italy, the school year began on Monday with positive news. For the first time, the percentage of children dropping out of school early has fallen below 10%. This has met the objectives set by the European Union, which has published standards and contributed funds to assure educated citizens. The 2024 statistic maintains a decade-long upward trend, although it is uneven: the school dropout rate remains around 15% in Sicily, Sardinia, and South Tyrol. However, there has been some development there as well. The progress is due to a variety of variables, including good governmental policies, but the primary credit belongs to teachers, who are critical to developing an inclusive educational system capable of encouraging children at risk of dropout. This year, thanks in part to European financing from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, several schools have formed teams committed to preventing early school leave.