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Alexandria schools considering new ‘early warning system’ to prevent student dropout

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is working on implementing a new strategy that aims to create an “early warning system” for students at risk of dropping out of school.

At a school board meeting tomorrow (Thursday), Superintendent Gregory Hutchings is docketed to present a proposal for ACPS to develop and adopt the new system.

“ACPS will develop and implement an Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) as a division-wide monitoring strategy that utilizes key performance indicators to proactively engage interventions for students in grades placed at risk of experiencing poor academic outcomes,” said Anthony Sims, executive director of school improvement, in a memo. “The EWIS represents ACPS’ focus on innovative strategies to transform structures and systems that perpetuate racial and educational inequities that lead to marginalization and disparate achievement outcomes for certain student groups.”

The memo said EWIS focuses on student performance data collected at multiple intervals throughout the school year to assess which students are considered at-risk.

“Traditionally, early warning indicator models use similar data variables, including absence/truancy events, behavioral referrals, discipline data, course grades/failure, mobility, grade retention, and local and state performance assessments,” Sims said. “Some districts have expanded the early warning indicator concept to monitor student progress relative to ‘college and career readiness’ benchmarks established across the elementary, middle, and high school continuum.”

The idea isn’t exactly new — a 2016 report indicated that over half of all high schools had similar programs — but the strategy at ACPS pushes that assessment beyond just the high school range. The memo said this approach allows educators to intervene to push students to achieve certain milestones throughout their education at ACPS as early as fourth grade.

Sims indicated in the memo that development of the new early warning system would have several stages, including identification of those indicators and milestones.

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If you had a chance to enhance a child’s future with a time commitment of less than 2 hours a week, how would you respond? You have that opportunity right now to join over 200 Alexandrians as a reading tutor volunteer with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC).

ATC tutors work with one child in kindergarten, first, or second grade in Alexandria public schools who need extra help with reading. Tutors meet with their Book Buddy 1-2 times each week for 30 minutes October-May at school, during school hours. Many struggling readers only receive one-on-one instruction through this program, and it makes all the difference. Last year, ATC served 195 children, of whom 82% ended the year reading on grade level and 96% made substantial reading gains. But the need is great, and we are still seeing learning lags from the pandemic.

This year, ATC plans to significantly increase the size of the program to reach over 250 students and to serve every elementary school in Alexandria. This is very exciting news, but we will only succeed if we can recruit more tutors. ATC trains you, matches you with a child, and provides ongoing lesson materials and support.

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If you have been thinking about buying your first home or haven’t owned one in the last three years, THIS IS FOR YOU!

In the DMV area, it can be difficult to save the downpayment necessary for you to get into your own home. We have a solution. The Funder’s Summit!

We have assembled a summit with different municipalities to tell you how to access their funds for your home purchase.

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2023 Alexandria Fall Festival

Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

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