Baton Rouge, La. — Three years ago, Broadmoor Middle School in east Baton Rouge was on the brink of failure.

It had a 50 percent suspension rate, and every year, roughly one in four students was falling behind in English and math. In other schools, such startling numbers often prompt full-scale turnaround efforts — meaning half the staff is laid off, administrators are replaced.

Broadmoor, however, opted for a different track. A data-driven model known as Diplomas Now was implemented to target students who were showing early signs of dropping out.

Traditional models use testing to track student performance in the classroom.  Under the Diplomas Now model, tardiness, unexcused absences, and misbehavior are also charted and flagged as problems that could lead to larger issues later in a student’s life.

Read more of the PBS NewsHour feature of Diplomas Now at Broadmoor Middle School here on PBS.

See the video below for the feature that aired December 6, 2012.