This study examined whether dropout intention among pre-service early childhood teachers predicts actual dropout and whether this relationship is moderated by school pride and major commitment. Given that pre-service early childhood teachers play a critical role in young children’s development, understanding factors associated with their academic persistence is essential from a preventive and developmental perspective. Using a short-term longitudinal design, data were collected from 155 students majoring in early childhood education at a women’s university in Seoul, South Korea. Dropout intention and psychological resources were assessed in March 2025 (T1), and actual enrollment status was verified in September 2025 (T2). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted, controlling for academic year and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that dropout intention at T1 significantly predicted actual dropout at T2. School pride significantly moderated this relationship, such that higher levels of school pride weakened the association between dropout intention and actual dropout. In contrast, major commitment did not show a significant moderating effect. These findings suggest that school pride—reflecting a sense of belonging and emotional attachment to one’s institution—functions as a protective factor against dropout. From a preventive and developmental perspective emphasized in child psychotherapy, the results highlight the importance of fostering school-based belonging and support systems. The findings provide empirical implications for designing departmentand institution-level interventions to promote academic persistence among pre-service early childhood teachers.