2027 WI State Education Conv

Sessions Speakers Exhibitors Floor Plan

'It Made Me Feel Like Nothing': The Make-Or-Break Freshman Year (Room 202 A/B)

The transition from middle to high school is one of the most consequential periods in a student's academic journey. Freshman-year experiences are closely tied to attendance, achievement, engagement and ultimately graduation outcomes. This session explores what changes during the transition to high school, why those changes matter and how schools can use student data to identify students' most pressing needs. Drawing on peer-reviewed research and hundreds of thousands of student survey responses, presenters will share which factors most strongly drive student engagement, how those factors change between eighth and ninth grade, and how Wisconsin districts are using these insights to strengthen transition supports, identify at-risk students earlier and improve long-term student success.