Grades and attendance in middle school are key indicators for later success

New research released today finds that grades and attendance trump test scores, race, and poverty when it comes to predicting middle school students' likelihood of high school and college success.

The report by a team from the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research led by Elaine Allensworth examined the transition of 20,000 public school students in Chicago from elementary to high school. The findings underscore the need to closely track and intervene, as necessary, with students between 5th and 8th grades, a time period when considerable change can occur...