In Chicago and many districts around the country, sophomore year is a forgotten year, a time sandwiched in between high school’s more momentous milestones: freshman year is focused on ensuring a smooth transition to high school; junior year on preparing for post-secondary entrance exams; and senior year on applying to college. Amidst turbulence from a global health crisis and increased economic insecurity and health challenges, protests over racial injustice, and virtual learning, sophomores are both more vulnerable than ever and even more likely to be forgotten.
Today we are releasing The Forgotten Year: Applying Lessons from Freshman Success to Sophomore Year, a report from the UChicago Consortium on School Research and the To&Through Project that for the first time looks at indicators and outcomes of sophomore year success for Chicago Public School students. Sophomore year presents students with both opportunities and challenges, and our findings suggest that ensuring a successful sophomore year is critical for students’ success later in high school...