Students identified as “on track” have earned at least five full-year course credits (10 semester credits) and have earned no more than one semester “F” in a core course (English, math, science, or social science). Course credits from summer sessions are not included in this calculation. Freshmen on track is a key predictor of high school success. Students who finish the ninth-grade year on track are almost four times as likely to graduate from high school as students who are not on track. Research shows that the number of students on track and the graduation rate rise when schools actively intervene by identifying freshmen at risk and providing tutoring, additional instruction, and other individualized services.

• What Matters for Staying On Track and Graduating from Chicago Public High Schools

• Federal Data Show Illinois 20th in High School Graduation Rates

• The On Track Indicator as a Predictor of High School Graduation (Consortium on Chicago School Research)

• Freshmen on Track Handbook (Graduation Pathways)