AIR researchers work with schools’, districts’, and states’ own data to identify the indicators that signal students’ readiness for key educational milestones. Starting with indicators drawn from the literature, AIR experts perform appropriate statistical analysis using state-, district-, or school-level data to identify which indicators accurately predict which students are on track.

AIR has extensive experience in identifying and selecting the most appropriate early warning indicators for our clients’ local context. For example, AIR researchers, on behalf of the Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest, identified and selected early warning indicators and thresholds for each of three school districts in Ohio to identify students in grades 8 and 9 who were at risk of failing to graduate high school on time.