Freshman Year Indicators: Chicago Public Schools' Theory of Change

presented by Paige Ponder, January 2009

Paige Ponder, Director of Chicago Public Schools’ Graduation Pathways program, described her group’s systemic approach to improving student outcomes by simultaneously ramping up recovery systems for struggling students and building instructional leadership. Equipping school leaders with a range of “early warning” data tools allows schools and the district to track potential struggling freshmen by looking at student attendance, math and reading scores, and participation in a summer program for incoming freshman. A color-coded flagging system lets leaders see at a glance where more effort is necessary, how feeder schools are preparing students, and which individual students need greater support. Response from Chicago’s principals has been strongly positive.

Approximate run time: 24 minutes