Pasco outlines early-warning system to keep ninth-graders on track for graduation
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Summary
District staff described an MTSS-based early warning system that flags ninth graders showing early signs of risk; Pasco defines "on track" as earning at least six required credits by the end of ninth grade and uses targeted interventions such as Hawk Time.
Assistant administrator Mira Goble told the Pasco School Board the district's early warning system is intended to identify ninth-grade students at risk of falling off the graduation trajectory and provide timely supports.
Goble said Pasco defines "on track" as earning at least six required credits by the end of ninth grade and that the district uses multiple data points (STAR and SBA performance, grades, attendance, historical risk factors, GPA and behavior) to identify students early. "The power of this system is not in any one data point, but in how they come together to tell a more comprehensive story about the student," she said.
Goble framed the work as part of Goal 3 (success in high school) and described school-level interventions such as Hawk Time, Pack Time and targeted tutoring integrated through MTSS. She said the district launched Ignite to Unite (the "4 A's": academics, athletics, activities and arts) with an emphasis on academics in the first trimester to set students on a strong trajectory.
Board members praised the focus on proactivity and discussed earlier transitions—some urged that counseling and planning begin in eighth grade so students and families receive information about pathway options before high school. Goble and board members noted next steps including enhanced ninth-grade onboarding, possible ninth-grade summer opportunities for credit retrieval, and use of the state's "High School and Beyond" planning platform to support pathways.
No formal action was taken; board members asked for continued monitoring and for the system's progress to be reported in the district's April progress-monitoring session.
