“It’s hard to be a ninth grader.”
This line comes from Tara DeBois, deputy director of the Center for High School Success. It is consistent with my own ninth grade experience too.
I struggled to adapt to the rigor of high school. The one thing I felt like I had going for me was that I loved to write and felt like the skills associated came naturally to me. You can imagine my surprise (and dismay) when my fall report card came back with a big fat F in English.
Two decades of research starting with the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research shows that, academically, I was on the brink. Turns out, whether a student finishes freshman year “on track” (with enough credits to get to 10th grade and no more than one semester F in a core course) predicts graduation better than test scores, race, or family income.
Thankfully, teachers and administrators noticed me floundering and helped me get the support I needed before it was too late. The only reason that happened, though, was because someone was paying attention, made the choice to intervene, and acted quickly.
The Center for High School Success just opened a first-of-its-kind opportunity designed to help other districts do the same.
Applications are now open for its inaugural 9th Grade Success Accelerator, which launches in January 2027. Up to 10 districts will be selected for 18 months of training, side-by-side coaching, data analysis support, and peer learning to help them establish sustainable ninth grade success practices—all fully funded through philanthropic support from MacKenzie Scott.
This model is time-tested. CHSS has worked with more than 300 high schools in 100+ districts since 2018, with results that show up in on-track rates, attendance, dual credit, and teacher morale. You can see the results of their work with Aurora Public Schools in Colorado in the video below.
If you lead a district: Submit your expression of interest in joining the Accelerator by October 30. The cohort will be announced December 15, and the work will kick off in the new year.
If you don’t lead a district: You probably know someone who does. Forward this newsletter to a superintendent, a school board member, or a chief academic officer who might want to apply.
The ninth graders who started high school last month will graduate—or won’t—in the spring of 2030. The districts that apply in the next six weeks could spend the next 18 months making sure it’s the former.
