Leader 2 Leader

By Aaron Feuer, CEO, Panorama Education The idea of using early warning systems (EWS) to identify at-risk students isn’t new to most Florida school leaders. Traditionally, early warning systems combine the “ABCs” of student data—attendance, behavior, and coursework—to help educators and administrators spot students who are off track for graduation. As of the 2014-15 academic year, half of all public high schools had implemented an early warning system to identify and support struggling students. And for good reason—research offers strong evidence that an EWS is effective in preventing dropouts. Experts like Dr. Robert Balfanz of the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University have provided empirical evidence that more than 50 percent of high school dropouts can be identified in the eighth grade using early warning indicators. Research from the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University shows that the “ABCs” are accurate indicators of student suc