How do we ensure that everyone graduates? An integrated prevention and tiered intervention model for schools and districts

Schools with large numbers of students falling off the graduation path need comprehensive reforms that create a solid foundation of high-quality instruction and positive behavioral supports for all students. They also need data-driven response systems that provide targeted and intensive interventions for students who need additional academic and social supports. This article offers a systematic plan for dropout prevention at the district and school levels that integrates research-based recommendations into a coherent, three-tiered model. The model provides a way to coordinate all types of interventions and replace the patchwork of fragmented programs that often allows students to fall through the cracks.