Four children are gathered around a table in a classroom, discussing priority areas and activities. Two boys in the center are talking and holding papers, while two girls sit nearby. A chalkboard with colorful notes is in the background.

On Track to Graduate

Why this matters

Every student deserves an education that promotes their progress – all the way to graduation day. But when students need help to stay on track, we don’t always have systems to recognize their needs or support their engagement. Continuous improvement can help us notice earlier, respond more effectively, and keep all our young people moving forward.

For students, graduation may not feel real until senior year. But we improvers know some of the most important opportunities to promote on-time graduation come much earlier. Eighth and ninth grade are pivotal for student growth, and those transitions aren’t easy to navigate – especially for students furthest from opportunity. And the work doesn’t stop there: To make steady progress, young people need steady support.

That’s why we improvers are reimagining what support can be: a powerful system that engages every student by name.

With continuous improvement, we can generate earlier warning signals and craft smarter supports. We can transform data – like attendance and course performance – into dynamic tools that tell us who our students are, how they’re growing, and what they need. We can create ways to scaffold progress, deepen connections, and promote belonging for all young people. We can build systems of care that scale, but still connect us to every student.

Together, our change ideas can keep all students growing toward graduation.

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Who else is working on this
problem?

Who else is working
on this problem?

Across the country, improver organizations are finding new ways to keep students on track. The teams below are rethinking support systems to promote all students’ growth – from transition years to graduation day. Learn more and join in.

Improving Education
At the core of everything we do, is the desire to improve educational systems. We take an innovative approach, using tools of Improvement Science
Logo featuring a stylized lowercase e inside a circular shape, with IMPROVING EDUCATION written in bold green and blue letters below.
Improvement Scholars Network
The Improvement Scholars Network is a community of practical scholars and scholarly practitioners advancing improvement research and continuous improvement in academic, practice, & policy
Logo for Improvement Scholars Network, featuring the organization’s name in black text with a circular pattern of yellow and orange dots on the left side.
Center for Educational Innovation and Improvement
CEii brings together the shared expertise of research and practice to develop leadership, improve schools, and advance equity. We foster collaborative partnerships for the
Logo of the University of Maryland College of Education, featuring the university seal on the left and text reading CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION AND IMPROVEMENT in red below.
Institute for Learning (IFL)
We collaborate with educators and districts. We grow content knowledge. We foster learning opportunities. We believe that educators should have the power and resources
Logo for the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburgh, featuring the institutes name above a horizontal gradient bar shifting from purple to yellow, with the university name below in uppercase.
NYC Outward Bound Schools
We support NYC young people in developing the knowledge and skills to lead with confidence and curiosity, persist in the face of challenge and
NYC Outward Bound Schools logo with a blue compass symbol and the text: NYC Outward Bound Schools. Equitable, Immersive and Joyful Learning.
Community Design Partners
At Community Design Partners, we work to create equitable and lasting change in the world by helping organizations improve systems, engage communities, and strengthen
A green spiral logo next to the words “Community Design Partners” in uppercase, dark gray letters on a white background.
RISE Network
The RISE Network’s mission is to ensure all RISE high school students graduate with a plan and the skills and confidence to achieve college
Logo with four colored vertical bars of varying heights, each containing a letter to spell RISE. Below, the word NETWORK appears in large, gray letters.
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Carnegie’s mission: To catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life.
A stylized tree with multicolored overlapping leaves above the text Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Marshall CoLab
Marshall CoLab is dedicated to improving teaching and learning for students furthest from opportunity. We bring together communities of educators, instructional coaches, and experts
Marshall CoLab logo with a blue square and abstract design on the left, and the tagline “COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR LASTING CHANGE” beneath the organization name.
Partners in School Innovation
Partners in School Innovation empowers educators to drive equity-focused change, transforming K-12 education through leadership development, adult learning, and change management to disrupt systemic
Logo for Partners in School Innovation, featuring two abstract human figures in orange and blue on the left, with the organization’s name written to the right.
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