Indicators of Distress equips charter authorizers with a comprehensive, evidence-based system for identifying early signs of school distress and responding with tailored supports. More than just a dashboard, this tool helps authorizers diagnose the root causes of underperformance and implement timely actions to keep schools on the path to success.
How We Help
Indicators of Distress is a robust, data-informed early warning system that empowers charter authorizers to monitor school health, identify emerging challenges, and coordinate responsive interventions. It reveals which aspects of school performance—such as academics, leadership, climate, finance, or governance—are most predictive of long-term outcomes, offering nuanced insights tailored to local conditions. This allows authorizers to distinguish between short-term setbacks and deeper systemic issues, and to guide schools with interventions that match the intensity and nature of the distress.
We help build an ecosystem of support by bringing together key interest holders, mapping resources to needs, and promoting a culture of shared responsibility for school success. With Indicators of Distress, authorizers can act early, reduce the likelihood of school failure, and better support school leaders and students.
Service Delivery
- Hybrid
Who Will Benefit
- Charter authorizers
- School improvement specialists
- State and local education agencies
We needed a way to maximize our limited resources, both human and financial. We wanted to identify those schools where the engine light is on, and with some intervention and support, they could turn things around and catch them well before they identify for CSI or TSI and require more intensive support.
— John Carwell
Delaware Department of Education
Featured Experts
Aimee Evan
Kelly Wynveen
William Berry
Connecting Research With Practice
Grounded in research and refined through real-world application, Indicators of Distress helps translate data into meaningful action. Our approach integrates predictive analytics with practical decision-making to ensure timely, equitable, and effective interventions.
More Related to this Service
Insights & Impact
Resources
Browse our high-quality publications and resources designed to inform and engage professionals in a variety of fields including K–12 education, early childhood, and health and justice.
