Using Early-Warning Data to Improve Graduation Rates: Closing Cracks in the Education System

“Using Early-Warning Data to Improve Graduation Rates: Closing Cracks in the Education System”

By Lindsay Pinkus

Question / What The Research Says
My school uses effective strategies for dropout prevention. /
We have data at my school to show that dropout prevention strategies are effective at my school. / The decision to drop out is rarely the result of a single life event; in fact, many students exhibit academic warning signs years before they leave high school. When analyzed in combination, these academic characteristics can provide strong indications of which students are at risk of becoming dropouts.
We have a systematic approach for communicating who these students are to the staff. / Educators are more likely to use data when it is communicated clearly and in a way that allows them to translate it directly into action.
ALL staff teaching 9th grade use and implement skills and knowledge to support students’ literacy development. / Literacy is the gateway skill that students must have mastered if they are to be successful in any course; low literacy levels translate into poor grades, grate repetition, and eventual disengagement from school, all of which tend to precede a students’ decision to drop out.
In a walkthrough of my school I consistently observe evidence of student engagement. / A recent analysis found that academic experiences explained six times more of the difference in graduation rates among students than demographic characteristics. (For example, teachers might be using digital content to engage students in learning.)
In a walkthrough of my school I consistently observe evidence of personalized learning. / There are many classroom strategies educators can use to increase students’ course success, including improving and personalizing instruction.
I routinely check my school records to determine which 9th graders are fully below 70% attendance. / “Showing up is half the battle.” 90% of freshmen who missed less than a week of school per semester graduated, regardless of their eighth-grade test scores. Researchers found that less than 70 percent attendance was the tipping point in ninth grade.
I routinely check historical data of my dropouts to determine commonalities that trigger drop out. / Students who dropped out usually:

Received a failing grade in core courses (especially math or English)
Earned a low GPA
Scored low on achievement tests
Were retained because they did not earn sufficient credits (older than peers)
Demonstrated low attendance and disciplinary problems
Were frequently not engaged in education or aware of its importance to future opportunities

I have a team of teachers and administrators who use data to target students in danger of dropping out. / The power of early-warning indicators lies in the willingness and capacity of school leaders and educators to transform actionable data into strategic decision making that leads to improved student outcomes.
We routinely implement a clear 9th grade transition plan that addresses academic skills & behaviors necessary for success. / Strategies that offer personalized attention, supplemental academic instruction, and increased exposure to core courses, can improve the ninth grade transition and students’ progress through high school, particularly for high needs students.
My school uses clearly defined academic and behavior interventions that increase in intensity as students are not responding. / Such models include applying broadly supported preventive efforts population-wide; continuously identifying at-risk individuals; and providing successive levels of intervention for those who need them. This approach can help all secondary schools meet the differing needs of their academically diverse student populations and should be considered part of the data-driven decisionmaking that is a critical component of secondary school design and reform efforts.
We have a clearly defined process for communicating early warning data to parents. / With timely and easy-to-understand student performance data, parents are more willing to accept intervention decisions.
My school has a clearly defined intervention process for students who encounter traumatic events during the high school experience. / One pilot program uses data to develop, for each student, an intervention strategy that addresses four issues, including social and emotional support.
I have evidence that all teachers in my school use the Common Core State Standards for literacy to facilitate the learning of content. / Literacy is the gateway skill that students must have mastered if they are to be successful in any course; low literacy levels translate into poor grades, grade repetition, and eventual disengagement from school, all of which tend to precede a student’s decision to drop out.
We use a clearly defined mentor program to support students at our school. / State and district staff and partner organizations that specialize in school improvement also can help identify appropriate interventions to use with given groups of students. This frees up teachers to maximize their own expertise – putting interventions and instructional approaches into action.
I set priorities and communicate them to the staff to ensure that the volume of need is manageable and realistic. / Leaders creating early-warning systems must also be aware of their capacity to intervene with the identified students. “If the list is too long, the educators won’t be able (or willing) to carry the burden.”

Alliance for Excellent Education Policy Brief August 2008