Understanding Research & Applying Data

This Framework, produced by the Search Institute, has identified five elements—expressed in 20 specific actions—that make relationships powerful in young people’s lives. Educators must build relationships with freshmen so they can successfully navigate the transition to high school. These relationships not only support students in the classroom, but can help them discover who they are in the world. For more information on how the Search Institute helps educators discover what students need to succeed, click here >.

This slide deck breaks down the data system that Chicago schools now use to monitor freshman success. As the On-Track work evolved, UChicago Consortium researchers and the Network for College Success collaborated to develop a broader data framework to guide improvement efforts. Called the Risk and Opportunity Framework, it now functions as a detailed early warning indicator system for monitoring freshman success in schools throughout Chicago. Adopting this new and more complex data system also helped practitioners move from improving On-Track rates to increasing freshman course performance to higher levels.

Since the initial research on the On-Track metric, UChicago Consortium researchers have studied the transition to high school again and again to develop a large body of work on the critical nature of freshman year in Chicago Public Schools. This annotated bibliography provides an overview of the most important UChicago Consortium research over the past decade as well as how the findings push practice on the ground.

A school-generated tool for educators to interact with students on behavior, attendance, and grades. Ideally, schools will produce these reports every five weeks. BAG Reports use real-time data so students understand where and how they are struggling, and which educators they may need to reach out to for support. They also help students understand their current status in relation to their goals. Schools can use BAG Reports in different ways, including individual conversations with students or holding “town hall” meetings for all freshmen to review the data and set next steps. 

A student-friendly poster that describes the On-Track metric and provides students with clear criteria for evaluating their own On-Track status.

A presentation that introduces the On-Track metric to students as well as emphasizing the importance of attendance and grades in freshman year.

Created by the UChicago Consortium, these briefs provide a research-based, user-friendly explanation of the Freshman On-Track metric and how the metric relates to high school graduation and postsecondary outcomes. The Parent Brief is available in English and Spanish.

A planning tool for student interventions that includes the identification of baseline data, criteria for success, status checkpoints, and plans for reflection.

A plan to support action planning using results from the Intervention Evaluation Flowchart.

A flowchart to determine if individual interventions are working for schools and to improve the use of data to succesfully implement interventions.