Attendance is, perhaps, the most obvious factor in terms of student capability and therefore an area with a lot of emphasis placed on it, in terms of research projects. If a student does not attend school, it naturally follows he is unlikely to achieve very good grades. However the full extent of his absence can impinge on his grades in varying degrees. Study this aspect in depth for a possible research project. Following the research, then initiate a scheme which will limit the absences of students, making use of your data.
Factors for why children behave in certain ways can differ from child to child. Some children act out because they have problems at home, or because they have Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, or even because they just don't understand the work. This sort of study often works best when it is done in conjunction with looking at the background of the child and how that affects his studies. Quantifying data about how behavior affects grades can be tricky, but focusing on the different factors individually can help to simplify the process.
Family data, such as whether a child's parents are still together; the background of his parents, such as drugs or alcohol abuse; his family's income; his place of birth; are all vital in analyzing the child's potential. While some argue use of data like this is an unfair portrayal of the child, it is regularly used to quantify expectations of the child and his school career. Researching into how informative this data is will help to further justify its use in schools as well as help to narrow down accuracies.
Research routes often hinge on comparisons made with the child's grades. Ultimately, the goal for all teachers is to secure every student with the best grades possible, and so the research that takes place needs to quantify exactly how it will benefit the improvement of standards within schools and as a consequence, the grades of the students. As quantifiable data, grades and pass rates are how schools categorized concepts such as "good" or "bad" so researching into various fields which can improve that, is highly commended.