EWS 2.0 EARLY WARNING & ON-TRACK SYSTEM RESOURCES

EWS 2.0: Keeping All Students on Track to High School Graduation and Post-Secondary Success

Below please find a curated selection of practical guidance and training materials on how to implement early warning and on-track systems to enable greater high school graduation and postsecondary success outcomes for all students.

These materials were developed by districts and state departments of education who have implemented early warning and on-track systems, as well as leading non-profit organizations that have supported schools, districts, and states in this work.

The materials are organized by topic, including How to Guidebooks for School and Districts, Extending Early Warning and On-Track Systems to Post-Secondary Success, Staff Training Materials, District and State Guidance for Building Early Warning and On-Track Data systems, and How EWS and On-Track Systems Fit with other student support and school improvement initiatives. There are also sections on EWS and on-track Systems at work at the state, district, and school level, the research foundation for this work, and insights and intervention strategies.

WHAT ARE EARLY WARNING &
ON-TRACK SYSTEMS?

Why implement an early warning or on-track system?

Early warning and on-track systems enable educators to progress monitor all students with reliable predictive indicators, pool their knowledge to promote student success, act strategically, and respond rapidly and effectively when students signal they need additional supports. They also fuel analysis of ways schools and classrooms are working (or not working) for student subgroups, so that school leaders, staff, and teachers can develop effective plans of action, not only for individual students, but also at small group, classroom, grade, and schoolwide levels.

The ABCs of Success in High School and Beyond

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 

On Track for Success: The Use of Early Warning Indicator and Intervention Systems to Build a Grad Nation

The Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Introduction to Early Warning Systems and Indicators

A 30-minute video narrated by Robert Balfanz, Everyone Graduates Center

EWS 101: Introduction to the Five Core Components of EWS

Regional Educational Laboratory Network

Core Components of Early Warning Systems –Adapted for Impacts of Pandemic

Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Videos

Middle School Moment: Omarina's Story, Part One

Through the story of a student, see how a middle school in the Bronx uses Early Warning Systems, FRONTLINE

The Second Window: How to Focus on Freshman Transformed a System

Documentary on how Chicago uses freshmen on-track systems, UChicago

GUIDEBOOKS & TOOL KITS

How-to guidebooks for schools and districts

A selection of how-to guidebooks and toolkits which provide detailed guidance for schools, districts, and states on how to launch and operate early warning and on-track system, from organizations, state departments of education, and district offices that have long experience supporting EWS and on-track system implementation.

Indicators & Interventions

Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Freshman On-track Toolkit

The Network for College Success, The University of Chicago.

Preventing Dropout in Secondary Schools

IES National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance

EWS to Promote K-12 Academic Success, District Guidance

Mississippi Department of Education

Framework: EWS 2.0

Pathways to Adult Success Learning Community

Early Warning Intervention & Monitoring System Implementation Guide

National High School Center at American Institutes for Research

Root Cause Analysis

Clark County School District

EWS Implementation Guide

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Pathways to Adult Success Resources

Workgroup recommmendations of best practices for the core components of Early Warning Systems to help prepare young people for successful adult lives

Standards for Predictive Indicators

EWS 2.0 Workgroup Guidance, Pathways to Adult Success

Analysis, Root Causes, and Strategic Actions

EWS 2.0 Workgroup Guidance, Pathways to Adult Success

Standards for Action

EWS 2.0 Workgroup Guidance, Pathways to Adult Success

The Roles of School/District Leaders and Teams

EWS 2.0 Workgroup Guidance, Pathways to Adult Success

How-Tos

Curated guidance for getting started—or moving forward—in developing effective Early Warning Systems and enabling teams of school adults to carry them out successfully.

How to Bring an Equity Lens to the Work

Pathways to Adult Success

How to Monitor Interventions

Pathways to Adult Success

EXTENDING EWS & ON-TRACK SYSTEMS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS

Early Warning Systems have been in widespread use during the past decade to help more students successfully graduate high school. In recent years, however, educators have extended and adapted the early warning indicator categories to help ensure more students not only graduate, but transition successfully to higher education and other postsecondary pathways leading to fulfilling, family-supporting careers. This section provides guidance on adapting EWS systems to attain this longer-term goal.

Framework: EWS 2.0

Pathways to Adult Success Learning Community

College, Career, and Life Readiness: A Look at High School Indicators of Postsecondary Outcomes in Boston

Robert Balfanz and Vaughan Byrnes, Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Beyond College Eligibility: A New Framework for Promoting College Readiness

The Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University

District Self-Assessment Tool

The Annenberg Insitute for School Reform at Brown University

College and Career Readiness in Boston: Understanding and Tracking Competencies and Indicators

Matthew J. Welch, Aseel Abulhab, Susan Bowles Therriault, American Institute for Research

Essential Elements in Implementation

The John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities

How to Transition from a Graduation-focused EWS to Focus on Postsecondary Success

Pathways to Adult Success, Everyone Graduates Center

Postsecondary Success Toolkit

Network for College Success, UChicago

TRAINING TOOLS

Practical training for schools and districts

A selection of practical training tools for schools and districts, including four self-paced learning modules for school teams, two self-paced video training series for school teams with trainer guides, and series of topic-based digital presentations with learning activities.

Four-Part Self-Paced EWS Training Modules

Developed by the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Education for the Pennsylvania Department of Education, these modules include activities for school teams to engage in collaborative learning.

Video Training Series #1

This series was developed by the Everyone Graduates Center for New Mexico schools, but could be used by any district or state.

EWS Trainer's Guide

Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Education

EWS Video Training Series

Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Education

Video Training Series #2

A series of training videos produced by the AIR (American Institutes of Research) for Michigan schools, but could be used by any district or state.

Early Warning Intervention and Monitoring System Facilitator's Guide

Great Lakes Comprehensive Center / American Institute for Research

Early Warning Intervention and Monitoring System Training Videos

Great Lakes Comprehensive Center / American Institute for Research

EWS Training Series

A three-part series produced by Talent Development Secondary for school and teacher teams.

EWS Resource Mapping

Talent Development Secondary

Rubric for Early Warning Indicator Meetings

Talent Development Secondary

Implementing an EWS

Talent Development Secondary

BUILDING EARLY WARNING & ON-TRACK DATA SYSTEMS

Guidance for systems at the district and state level

HOW EWS & ON-TRACK SYSTEMS FIT

WITH CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, MTSS AND RTI, EQUITY AND ASSET-BASED APPROACHES

A variety of tools, systems, and approaches have been developed to help schools better serve their students. How do early warning systems complement and enhance the programs already in place? And how can coordinating  these approaches facilitate staff and teacher efforts to support students?

How to Bring an Equity Lens to the Work

Pathways to Adult Success, Everyone Graduates Center

Early Warning / On-Track & Continuous Improvement

Martha Mac Iver & Robert Balfanz, Everyone Graduates Center

Defining EWS and Tiered Models (infographic)

Regional Educational Laboratories

EARLY WARNING & ON-TRACK SYSTEMS IN USE:
STATE, DISTRICT, & SCHOOL LEVELS

Websites that provide real time examples of effective adoption, support, and implementation of early warning systems at the state, district, and local school levels.

State Examples

Rolling out Early Warning Systems at the state level is a major undertaking, but, when done well, can ease the burden on LEAs and prove more effective, for more students, than relying on a piecemeal approach. These are examples of states that have led the way.

Early Warning System

Rhode Island Department of Education

The Early Warning System (EWS)

Pennsylvania Department of Education

Early Warning Indicator System

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

MDESE Reflections on Building a Statewide System

Massachusetts EWIS: Reflections on Building a Statewide System

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

District Examples

District-level guidance on Early Warning System implementation from LEAs in diverse circumstances and localities.

Gresham Barlow EWS 2.0

Early Warning Systems 2.0

Gresham-Barlow School District

MNPS EWS Over the Long Term

Early Warning Systems Over the Long Term

Metro Nashville Public Schools

Gresham Barlow EWS 2.0

Early Warning Systems and Interventions

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

Gresham Barlow EWS 2.0

Oregon Data Suite: Your Roadmap to Student Success

Willamette Education Service District

Gresham Barlow EWS 2.0

Pathways to Adult Success

Philadelphia Education Fund

School Examples

Individual schools’ experience and guidance on adapting early warning systems to their particular local needs and circumstances.

Videos on Early Warning & On-Track Systems

Inspiration and guidance on how and why to use Early Warning System
to improve student success at the school and district levels.

OMARINA’S STORY

A three-part series by Frontline highlights one student’s journey from a public middle school in the Bronx, NY to college.

Research on Early Warning & On-Track Systems

What does the data say? For the past 15 years, research studies have validated the importance of Early Warning Systems and highlighted best practices for effective implementation.

Evidence-Based Interventions

ATTENDANCE

BEHAVIOR / SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

COURSE PERFORMANCE

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