In 2006, the Ed Fund engaged in a partnership with the School District of Philadelphia to create the Early Warning Indicators Project, which put research developed in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University (JHU) into action at two Philadelphia public schools.
This research also serves as the basis for our work in Philadelphia schools to create a comprehensive dropout prevention model with partners Johns Hopkins University, City Year, and Communities in Schools.
The research showed that students, as early as the 6th grade, with any of the Early Warning Indicators have only a 10-20% chance of graduating from high school. The Ed Fund created the Early Warning Indicators Project to systematically combat the ABCs in the middle grades.
In 2008–2009, the Ed Fund and JHU brought on two new partners, City Year of Greater Philadelphia (CYGP) and Communities In Schools of Philadelphia (CISP) and the Project was renamed, Diplomas Now to align with the replication of the work across the country. Diplomas Now details interventions for students who demonstrate Early Warning Indicators and provides site-based assistance that allows school staff and parents to implement the interventions. This work is currently taking place at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, Jay Cooke Elementary School, and Feltonville School of Arts and Sciences in Philadelphia.
Together, the Diplomas Now collaborative is providing program design coordination and integrity, data collection and analysis, and an on-site facilitator to coordinate services and work closely with school administration and faculty to use the early warning system tied closely to an integrated system of student supports. The role of CYGP in our model is to bring young adult corps members, aged 17–24, for a year of full-time service in schools, delivering the Whole School, Whole Child program which provides whole-school and targeted supports through activities such as academic tutoring, mentoring, and climate enrichment. The role of CISP is to provide site-based staff with social work expertise to work with individual students and families to provide intensive interventions, leverage community and school resources, and work individually with students and families in order to keep students in school.
The data show that students served through the Project have higher attendance than the previous year and of the 250 students who were "off-track" to graduation, 54% have shown improvement in their original risk area and two thirds have improved English and math grades. Click here to see our most recent program results.
The partnership among the Ed Fund, JHU, the School District, City Year, and Communities In Schools is being replicated in six other large urban districts nationally, with the Ed Fund providing technical assistance. Read more about the national Diplomas Now initiative.