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1. Attendance begins to slide
Look for changing patterns, not just a final chronic-absence label. The next step is a human conversation about what changed.
STUDENT SUCCESS GUIDEONWARD RESOURCE
7 Early Warning Indicators for High School Dropout Prevention—and What to Do Next
An indicator is useful only when it changes what an adult does next. This guide focuses on patterns schools can review without reducing a student to a risk score.
early warning indicators high school dropoutshigh school dropout preventionstudent early intervention system
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2. Course performance shifts
A sudden drop across several courses can signal a broader barrier that a single-class intervention will miss.
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3. Credit accumulation falls off pace
Graduation planning should make missing credits visible early enough to build a realistic recovery route.
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4. Engagement disappears
Missed advisory meetings, unanswered messages or withdrawal from activities can be meaningful when viewed in context.
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5. Discipline events cluster
Repeated incidents should trigger problem-solving around patterns, relationships and environment—not automatic assumptions.
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6. Future plans become unclear
Students who cannot see a meaningful next step may disengage from the work required today.
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7. Supports do not connect
When several adults are helping but nobody owns the handoff, the student can still fall through.