Education Dive

In his blog, Gates advocates the use of data that can catch struggling 9th-graders early, while they still have time to get on a better path to graduation. The importance of 9th grade has long been on Gates' radar. His foundation previously featured the issue in its publication, discussing why that year can be particularly challenging.  

Research suggests that whether a student graduates from high school depends on how they do in their freshmen year. Elaine Allensworth, director of the University of Chicago's Consortium on School Research, explains in the post that the transition can put a lot of stress on students. They take on more responsibility and often have less supervision and support. Course failures in 9th grade decrease by 30% the chances that students will graduate...