Education Dive

Keeping freshmen on track may be the key to moving the needle up on graduation rates, experts say. This fact seems especially relevant for black males. In CPS, the graduation rate of African American males rose from 43% in 2005 to 71% in 2013. The research also found that freshmen who pass all their classes have a 90% chance of graduating from high school, compared to 70% of those who failed a class during 9th grade.

Evidence suggests that a student’s 9th-grade GPA is the most important predictor of future school success. Good grades reflect positive behaviors and attitudes, attendance and the effort to turn in assignments. This research is based on the grades of 187,000 first-time freshmen in non-charter, non-alternative schools...