With So Many Kids Struggling in School, Experts Call for Revamping ‘Early Warning Systems'

When one student starts to fall behind, act up, and disengage from class, many schools now have early-warning systems in place to signal a problem and intervene. But what happens when half the class—or half the school—throws up similar red flags? “If you just focus on the students who require intervention, you miss the forest for the trees,” said Carla Gay, the executive director for innovation and partnership, for the Gresham-Barlow School District, in Portland, Ore. “If you have a high percentage of students who are showing some sort of need for intervention, it’s more of an indicator of the health of the system.” That problem confronts many educators and administrators after years of pandemic schooling disruptions.  Read More