Chronic Absenteeism and Lateness

Chronic absenteeism undermines students' ability to make timely progress.

Facts

Numerous studies have found chronic absenteeism to be the strongest predictor of whether a student will drop out of high school (Balfanz and Byrnes, 2012).

Disciplinary Action

Suspensions and expulsions are early indicators of potential school dropouts.

Facts

In the 2011-2012 academic year

In Florida, getting suspended once in 9th grade doubled the odds of HS dropout (16 to 32%) and decreased the odds of PS enrollment from 58 to 39% (Balfanz, Byrnes and Fox, 2014).

Student Mobility

Changing schools (especially multiple times) can interrupt and delay academic progress.

Facts

Higher levels of student mobility are associated with delayed HS graduation, lower educational attainment and higher arrest rates (Herbers, Reynolds and Chen, 2013).

41.9% of students surveyed in the ECLS study transferred schools once between K and 5. 24.1% of students transferred more than once (Rumberger, 2015).

During the 2014-2015 school year, the Colorado student mobility rate was 16.5%. Students with disabilities, ELL students, and economically disadvantaged students were found to have an average rate of mobility, while migrant, homeless and foster care students had mobility rates of 36.9, 39.8 and 54% respectively (Colorado Department of Education, 2016).

Changing Paradigms and Expectations

Shifts in school structure and disparities between teacher and student expectations around maturity, rules of engagement, academic rigor and success metrics can affect student performance.

Facts

Studies show declining student well-being and performance can occur during the MS-HS transition (Weiss and Bearman, 2007).

Students have much more autonomy over assignment and course completion in college than they do in high school (Dickinson College).

Grade Retention

Grade retention impacts social, emotional and academic well-being.

Facts

In 2014, 1.3M students were held back

Misplacement in Special Education

Accurate assessment of academic needs can help students, but inaccurate or late placement can undermine student progress and mindset.

Facts

Misplacement in special education can have long-term negative effects (National Education Association, 2008).

Summer Learning Loss

Students who do not engage in high-quality summer learning opportunities start each year behind their peers who have the opportunity to do so.

Facts

Summer learning loss in elementary school accounts for over half of the 9th grade achievement gap between high- and low-income students (Alexander, Entwisle and Olsen, 2007).

Language, Literacy and Math Foundations

Early math, vocabulary and reading skills position students for future academic success.

Facts

In early grades, the strongest predictor of later academic achievement is number knowledge, followed by vocabulary and phonetic knowledge (Duncan et al., 2007).

Exposure to STEM Education and Learning

High-quality STEM education develops student subject knowledge, problem solving and critical thinking.

Facts

Early exposure to STEM education can strengthen critical reasoning skills, student engagement and student enthusiasm for STEM (Lee et al., 2014).

Reading Proficiency

Students who are proficient readers are better prepared for later grades.

Facts

Over 40% of students who read below grade level in 3rd grade still read below grade level in 8th grade (Lesnick, Goerge, Smithgall and Gwynne, 2010).

Students who read above grade-level in third grade graduate HS and attend college at higher rates than those who do not (Lesnick, Goerge, Smithgall and Gwynne, 2010).

On the 2015 NAEP reading exam:

Math Proficiency

Proficiency in math gets students ready for more advanced coursework.

Facts

On the 2015 NAEP math exam

Writing Proficiency

Writing skills are critical to academic success, especially at the postsecondary level.

Facts

Students in grades 4-6 spend approximately 25 minutes a day writing text at least a paragraph in length (Gilbert and Graham, 2010).

High school students seldom have to write more than a paragraph for assignments and rarely need to provide analysis or interpretation (Sullivan, 2014).

9th-Grade GPA

A 9th-grade GPA ≥ 3.0 puts students on track for high school completion, while a GPA < 2.0 is a key predictive indicator of dropping out.

Facts

Over one-third of 9th-graders start their second semester with a GPA < 2.0 (Pharris-Ciurej and Hirschman, 2012).

HS Course Rigor and Academic Progress

Steady academic progress keeps high school students on track for graduation, while rigorous coursework ensures greater preparedness for college.

Facts

Students who finish 9th grade on track are four times more likely to earn a diploma. The University of Chicago Consortium on School Research defines 'on track' as having enough credits to be promoted to tenth grade and no more than one semester F in a core course (Adams, 2014).

Students who take at least one rigorous course are significantly more likely to graduate high school and go to a 4-year college (Long, Conger and Iatarola, 2012).

PS Enrollment after HS Graduation

Postsecondary enrollment processes can pose a barrier for recent high school graduates, many of whom fall victim to "summer melt" and never enroll.

Facts

Summer melt affects 10-40% of high school graduates who plan to attend a postsecondary institution (Castleman, Page and Snowdon, 2013).

Placement in Remedial Education

Placement in remedial courses in college delays gateway course completion and increases time and money spent to obtain a postsecondary credential.

Facts

Of students requiring remedial education, 35.1% go on to graduate with a bachelor's in 6 years, as compared to 55.7% of all students enrolled (Complete College America, 2011).

Roughly 25% of 1st-year college students were required to take remedial courses (Nguyen Barry and Dannenberg, 2016).

1st-Year PS Focus and Accumulation

Postsecondary students who select a program of study and make sufficient progress in their 1st year are more likely to graduate on time.

Facts

Students who attempt 15 credits of coursework in their first semester at a postsecondary institution graduate within 6 years at higher rates than those who take less (Attewell and Monaghan, 2016).

50.2% of students earned fewer than 24 credits in their first year at a postsecondary institution (Complete College America, 2013).

1st-Year PS Academic Performance

Academic outcomes in the 1st year at a postsecondary institution can indicate whether students will graduate.

Facts

A 2005 study found that cumulative 1st-year GPA is the strongest predictor of postsecondary student retention (Herzog, 2005).

Overall PS Credit Accumulation

Timely accumulation of required credits affects whether college students will be able to complete their courses of study on time.

Facts

Over half of California students transferring from 2-year to 4-year did not have enough credits to enter as upper-division students (Moore, Shulock and Offenstein, 2009).

Executive Function and Self-Regulation

When students regulate their emotions, behavior and attention, they are better able to engage in their schoolwork and are less disruptive in the classroom.

Facts

Research has found a correlation between student executive function and performance in reading and math (Best, Miller and Naglieri, 2011).

An RCT study found that social-emotional skills gained in preschool 'made unique contributions to kindergarten outcomes in reading achievement and learning engagement Nix, Bierman, Domitrovich and Gill, 2013).'

Growth Mindset

Students with a growth mindset believe intelligence can be cultivated, which helps them weather academic challenges and persist toward their goals.

Facts

Research shows that an emphasis on developing a growth mindset can lead to higher GPAs and better performance in core courses among high school students at risk of dropping out (Paunesku et al., 2015).

Pre-college mindset programs improved sense of belonging, GPAs, and retention in postsecondary education among 1st-generation students and students of color (Yeager et al., 2016).

Future Orientation

Early awareness of postsecondary options helps students aim high, set academic goals and stay on track.

Facts

A clear future orientation is positively associated with academic achievement and student appreciation of course relevance (Brown and Jones, 2004).

Strong future orientation reduces the likelihood of high-risk behavior among adolescents (Jackman and MacPhee, 2015).

Self-Management

Students who are internally motivated to achieve and are able to persist in the face of difficulties are more likely to pursue higher-level coursework.

Facts

Research by Angela Duckworth found that student self-discipline is a better predictor of academic performance than IQ (Duckworth and Seligman, 2006).

Sense of Belonging

Students who feel they "belong" in their school environment (including in advanced environments) will persist and succeed more.

Facts

Students with a sense of belonging have higher motivation, greater levels of engagement and a stronger committment to academics (Osterman, 2000).

A student's sense of belonging is a key predictor of 'academic tenacity' (Dweck, Walton and Cohen, 2014)

Pre-K Participation and Quality

Students who attend high-quality full-day pre-kindergarten are better prepared for kindergarten.

Facts

In 2014, 54.5% of 3- and 4-year-olds were enrolled in pre-K. 51.3% of those enrolled attended full-day (National Education Association).

Kindergarten Participation and Quality

Students who attend high-quality full-day kindergarten are better prepared for 1st grade.

Facts

In 2014, 85.2% of 5-year-olds were enrolled in K. 74.9% of those enrolled attended full-day (National Education Association).

High Expectations

Teachers who convey high expectations encourage students to set goals and persist in school.

Facts

High school sophomores were over 3 times more likely to complete college when they had teachers with high expectations (Gershenson, Holt and Papageorge, 2016).

Use of Digital Tools and Resources

Students who become active users of technology build digital skills and are more engaged at school.

Facts

The U.S. Department of Education's 2016 National Education Technology Plan highlights the persistence of the 'digital use divide' in American K-12 schools (U.S. Department of Education, 2016).

Dual Language Learning

Dual language programs close the achievement gap between ELL and native-speaking students and improve the English skills of both groups.

Facts

Collier (1989) found that second language students who achieved the greatest academic success were enrolled in bilingual programs that provided solid cognitive academic instruction in both the first and second language (Robinson, Keogh and Kusuma-Powell).

In an Oregon study, students randomly assigned to English-Spanish immersion in Kindergarten showed that they outperformed their non-immersion peers in English reading by 7 months in 5th grade (RAND, Portland Public Schools and American Councils for International Education, 2015).

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities serve as a platform for students to engage in the school environment beyond the academic realm.

Facts

Extracurriculars give students a chance to develop skills and build relationships with peers and adults outside of school (Feldman and Matjasko, 2005).

Mentorship and Support

Consistent support from a teacher, counselor, coach or mentor can help students stay on track to and through postsecondary school while building trusting relationships with non-relatives.

Facts

Students with a special adult relationship saw improvements in academic performance and social-emotional skills (Valentino and Wheeler, 2013).

Meeting one-on-one with a school counselor to discuss college admission or financial aid makes a big difference in students' futures, tripling the chance they'll attend college, doubling the chance that they'll attend a four-year college, and increasing by nearly seven times the likelihood that they'll apply for financial aid (Velez, 2016).

Pathways from HS to PS and Career

Clear steps from high school to postsecondary education and then into a career help students stay on track.

Facts

Students in California's Linked Learning initiative were more likely to graduate than students in traditional high school programs (SRI International, 2015).

Financial Aid Literacy and Access

Awareness of and access to financial aid give less affluent students more postsecondary opportunities.

Facts

50% of students with a family income less than $35,000 chose not to apply to certain colleges based on cost concerns (White House Middle Class Task Force).

College-Level Coursework

Earning college credit in high school through AP, IB or dual enrollment courses can help students leapfrog gateway courses and contribute to timely degree completion.

Facts

Earning AP credit increases the likelihood of completing a bachelor's in four years by 1-2% per exam taken (Smith, Hurwitz and Avery, 2015).

Dual enrollment has been correlated with improved academic performance, greater persistence, and higher levels of credit accumulation in postsecondary (Smith, Hurwitz and Avery, 2015).

Credit Transfer

When students change institutions, the ability to transfer credits to the new institution is critical for appropriate placement and timely completion.

Facts

States with comprehensive credit articulation agreements have seen improvements in time-to-degree and reductions in excess credit hours (Southern Regional Education Board, 2013).

In the 2013-14 academic year, 46 percent of students who completed a degree at a four-year institution were enrolled at a two-year institution at some point in the previous 10 years (National Student Clearinghourse Research Center, 2015).

Pathways through PS and into Career

Clear postsecondary programs of study that map to career pathways keep students on-track and improve completion rates.

Facts

At Florida State University, a guided pathways approach boosted the 4-year graduation rate from 44% to 61% (Jenkins, 2014).

Job Placement

Deliberate job matching after credential attainment can improve a student's lifetime earnings.

Facts

Students in Career Academy programs that offer both a diploma and industry-recognized credential are more likely to finish high school and see steady earnings growth after graduation (Kemple, 2008).

On average, a person with an associate degree makes 30% more in lifetime earnings than someone with a high school diploma. For bachelor's degree holders, the premium increases to ~77% (Carnevale, Rose and Cheah, 2011).