Freshman OnTrack is a metric measuring whether 9th graders are making basic progress toward high school graduation (have failed no more than one semester of a core course and have enough credits to move on to sophomore year). Researchers call 9th grade the “make-or-break” year for high school graduation because students who are on-track are three-and-a-half times more likely to graduate than those who are off-track. In Chicago, it evolved into a dropout prevention strategy focused on supporting students as they transition to high school. Schools were held accountable for improving their Freshman OnTrack rates, but they also were given latitude to design interventions that would best serve their students. Some, for example, assigned their strongest teachers to freshmen. Others instituted a summer freshman orientation program. And others designated a teacher to be responsible for reviewing data and reaching out to struggling freshmen.

Freshman OnTrack turns out to be more predictive of graduation than all of the background factors researchers tend to measure about students—more than 8th grade test scores, neighborhood, race, or family income. In fact, more than all of those factors combined. (Read more here at Education Next)

Reading Aloud to Middle School Students - Hearing books read aloud benefits older students, enhancing language arts instruction and building a community of readers. Edutopia

To Address Chronic Absenteeism, Dig into the Data - WestEd

Home Visiting in High School - Hechinger Report

Resources for reducing chronic absenteeism - Attendance Works

Addressing Higher Rates of Suicide Among Black Students - Hechinger Report

HS seniors build confidence by documenting growth & learning in a Sr. speech presented to their families and the school community - Edutopia

Developing Agency With Student-Led Conferences - Edutopia

Making Advisory More Effective - Edutopia

Helping boys to understand sexual assault - TIME

The Wallace Leadership Fellows: If you are tenured, have four or more years teaching experience and your School Building Leader (SBL) certificate, The Wallace Leadership Fellows may be for you. The Office of Leadership's (OOL) Wallace Leadership Fellows Program is a one-year program designed to prepare candidates for the assistant principalship by focusing on strengthening the capacity of candidates in facilitative leadership, leading for equity, and providing teachers with effective feedback that drives instructional improvement. Program begins fall 2019; registration deadline: Wednesday, June 26. For more information, contact the Office of Leadership at leadershippathways@schools.nyc.gov.

Black Male Educators Convening Presents #EDFEST2019 EdFest is the national convergence point of our mission-aligned work and is a platform to highlight the incredible work being done by and for Black Male Educators. Today, 2% of teachers nationwide are Black men. In Philadelphia, this number is only marginally better: about 4% of all teachers are Black men in a district with a student body that is 50% Black and 27% Black male. We know students benefit from working with Black teachers who deeply understand who they are and are invested in their educational progress. This years theme, Education For The Culture, reaffirms the reality that teachers have always been the original influencers. In order to advance the recruitment, development and retention of Black male educators in schools, community-focused education must be the primary driver of change. JOIN BMEC FROM OCTOBER 18TH-20TH AS WE REIGNITE OUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT AND REDEFINE WHAT EDUCATION MEANS FOR THE CULTURE.

The National Summit on Educational Reform will be held in San Diego on Nov. 20-21, 2019. The Summit convenes the nation’s leaders in education policy to share what works, what doesn’t, and what’s next in education reform with more than 1,000 legislators, state superintendents, policymakers and advocates present. Register prior to August 16 for early bird rates.

Want to gain knowledge and tools for advancing your work and build broader and stronger connections in the arts in education community? Attend the Arts Education Partnership Annual Convening on Sept. 11-12 in Alexandria, VA. The AEP Annual Convening actively supports the role and contribution of the arts in preparing all students for success in school, work and life. Examine how we can collectively advance arts in education for all students when education leaders from across arts disciplines and the broad education policy field learn and work together to explore the latest research, innovative practices and emerging policy approaches. Register by August 30 for early bird rates.