PPI February 11, 2013 Establishing an Early Warning System in
Yonkers Public Schools
Slide 2
The Process 2 Identify Early Warning Indicators Implementation
Establish Central and Building Understanding Identify, Plan and
Support Intervention PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 3
Background Replicated a 2008 study: Consortium on Chicago
School Research Examined the impact of 15 different variables on
high school graduation. Found 4 variables that significantly impact
variation in high school graduation in Yonkers. 3 PPI:
2/11/2013
Slide 4
The Four Risk Factors 4 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 5
Five Groups of At-Risk Students Unidentified Risk* = student
carries none of the first 3 risk factors (irrespective of PreK);
Low Risk = student carries 1 of the first 3 risk factors
irrespective of PreK; Moderate Risk = student carries 2 of the
first 4 risk factors including PreK; Moderately High Risk = student
carries 3 of 4 risk factors including PreK; High Risk = student
carries all of the first 3 risk factors (irrespective of PreK). *
Although this group of students does not carry any of the four
identified risk factors, they are not without risk from factors
beyond those identified in this study that may impact graduation. 5
PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 6
4-Year Graduation Rate and Students without Identified Risk in
2012-13 6 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 7
Summary, School Level 7 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 8
Student Detail, School Level 8 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 9
Student Detail (continued) 9 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 10
Student Detail (continued) 10 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 11
Student Detail (continued) 11 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 12
Student Detail (continued) 12 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 13
Current Status Early warning indicators ready by school and
student. No distribution or roll-out to high schools. Limited
information presented to Central Office. 13 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 14
Contributions to Status Data: Understanding, comfort, and use.
Opportunity structure for intervention. Consequences of funding
Support staff Intervening events Teacher Evaluation System 14 PPI:
2/11/2013
Slide 15
Strengths Successful capacity building Taking advantage of
Superintendent interest and support for Early Warning General
enhancement of value and visibility of Data and Systematic Analysis
Local university as a resource. Staff member in doctoral program.
In-house capacity to sustain analyses. Update and Implement for
Fall 2013. 15 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 16
Implementation Fall 2013 Roll out for opening of 2013-14 in
August 2013 Update analysis and reports with 2012-13 data. Reserve
time on Summer Institute schedule. Principals August time is at a
premium. Opportunity to prepare people as well as information. 16
PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 17
Implementation (continued) Attendance as a means to reduce
course failures and increase GPA. Teachers and staff should be
proactive in helping students as soon as they begin missing
classes. Staff, students and parents attention to the robust
connection between absences academic performance future goals.
Heppen and Therriault (2008); Allensworth, E. M., & Easton, J.
Q. (2007) 17 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 18
Implementation (continued) Other Practices Identified in
Literature By Grade: Provide schools with lists of grade 9
students, ranked by number of absences in first 30 days.
Systematically target those with the highest number of absences.
Provide schools with lists of grade 9 student at the end of the 1
st semester, grouped by risk (GPA, attendance, and number of Fs)
Follow students in grades 10 and 11 to differentiate intervention
by level of risk. By Level of Risk Low and moderate risk groupings
may benefit from more modest intervention such as mentoring or
subject specific support. Moderately-high and high risk groupings
are likely to require more comprehensive monitoring and
interventions. Heppen and Therriault (2008); Allensworth, E. M.,
& Easton, J. Q. (2007) 18 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 19
Additional Suggestions from the Literature Intervention should
be integrated and closely aligned with the instructional program of
the school. Grades and attendance are better than expected in
schools where the instructional program is more coherent. Programs
that support the transition to high school should closely monitor
grades and attendance and intervene when students show signs of
struggling. Educators should make efforts to improve teacher-
student relationships and help students understand the connection
of their coursework to future goals. Allensworth, E. M., &
Easton, J. Q. (2007) 19 PPI: 2/11/2013
Slide 20
David H. Weinberger, Ph.D. Executive Director
[email protected]
http://www.yonkerspublicschools.org Student Information, Assessment
and Reporting Shanit Halperin, M.A. Research Analyst
[email protected] 20 PPI: 2/11/2013
