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The Ninth Grade Transition: A Principal's Guide to the Most Consequential Year in High School
A research-based guide for high school principals on ninth grade transition. Why on-track status predicts graduation better than demographics and prior achievement combined.
John Nguyen
10 hours ago16 min read


Chronic Absenteeism in Middle School: Why Belonging — Not Punishment — Is the Real Lever
A research-based guide for middle school principals navigating the most persistent post-pandemic challenge in K–12 education The Issue: A Crisis That Won't Go Away Five years after the COVID-19 disruption, chronic absenteeism remains one of the most stubborn — and most consequential — challenges middle school principals face. The most recent data from the RAND Corporation's American School District Panel, published in August 2025, confirms what principals already know: chroni
John Nguyen
2 days ago10 min read
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