Primarily three individuals are involved in the execution of the Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) and in the development of its analytics, policy, and implementation across the Commonwealth.

EWIS serves educators – specifically administrators, counselors, and teachers – across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts EWIS has two components:

1. A comprehensive array of predictive analytics covering every student enrolled in grades 1-12, with multiple academic outcomes and a suite of reports tailored for school and district use.
2. The Early Warning Implementation Cycle, providing implementation resources that guide practitioners as they incorporate and strengthen cycle-of-inquiry practices.

Critical to success of this work has been the interweaving of technical components and training. Technical components include collection of dependable student-level data across many different systems; analysis to form student-level predictions; and delivery of user-friendly reports to school-level and district-level practitioners in a timely manner. It has also been essential to offer a wide range of training and assistance opportunities as school- and district-level users learn EWIS and practice the cycle of inquiry.

The work has required three staff members, tremendous support from data collection and analysis staff at the Department, an IT staff capable of delivering the reports through a data warehouse system designed for tens of thousands of potential users, and a statewide commitment to prioritize the use of data for school improvement. Staffing has been state-supported (for two staff members partially dedicated to this project) and funded by an expiring SLDS grant (for one staff member dedicated to this project). There is also financial support for statewide, regional and local events to train users in the usage of the system.

The DESE collaborated with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to develop EWIS risk models using funds from a 2011 federal State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) grant. A DESE team worked closely with AIR to determine the appropriate models for each grade level using a rigorous statistical method. An EWIS Advisory Group with members from DESE and other state agencies reviewed the research findings and discussed key decisions. DESE updates and validates the model annually.

Starting in 2015, DESE expanded the EWIS risk models to include risk information for postsecondary outcomes using funding from a second SLDS grant. Postsecondary risk information was first available to districts in 2016. Since 2016, DESE has continued to improve delivery and training on the system, developed several new resources, and increased technical assistance offerings to strengthen practitioners’ implementation practices.

Beginning in May 2018, DESE offered a 16-month competitive grant to ten districts to enhance their data practices using the Early Warning Implementation Cycle. Highlights and examples from their work have been incorporated into resources.

The team overcomes challenges through persistence, flexibility, and a user-centered focus. Resources and professional development experiences are designed with the users in mind. Developing strong relationships with internal IT and data collection partners has allowed the Department to provide cohesive and user-friendly reports to the field.

EWIS risk levels are available to educators in late August, coinciding with the start of the school year. At an annual fall convening, workshops are offered for users at all levels, from an introductory workshop to specialized sessions for seasoned users. Technical assistance offered throughout the year centers on resources and strategies for monitoring ongoing risk, monitoring interventions, and adapting supports based on emerging information.

A challenge for users has been incorporating EWIS into existing routines. The EWIS team mitigates this by positioning EWIS to be as user-friendly as possible, with a variety of approaches and resources; providing a range of engaging experiences and technical assistance; and partnering with other teams to incorporate components of EWIS into their supports. Examples include the EWIS Monitoring Tool and other monitoring guidance; EWIS e-newsletter; Enhancing Data Use grant; videos; and other resources on the Massachusetts EWIS website.

~ Create a small internal team with a range of skills, a strong sense of mission, and a focus on delivery.

~ Listen to and partner closely with users.

~ Promote the use of data as a process that can lead to positive outcomes for young people. Rather than “another thing to do,” it is a resource.

~ Build, refine and adapt. The team has built and released reports and resources over time in response to users’ unmet needs. Resources are refined and adapted based on user feedback.

~ Use clear and succinct messages, such as “Focus on the ABCs: attendance, behavior and course performance.” These factors will improve students’ lives in the long run.

~ Cultivate relationships with organizations across the state for outreach and training opportunities (e.g. state associations of school counselors or secondary school administrators).

To continue the important work of data use on the individual and aggregate level, using early warning indicators in a cycle of inquiry to improve student performance, particularly in the most challenging schools and districts.

~ Use measurable outcomes for students; this can test the integrity of the work.

~ Cultivate partnerships with educators in the field so that they share feedback, which helps improve delivery systems.

~ Focus on understanding underlying causes of risk, in particular all of those within the scope of educators, school leaders, and district leaders.