Case Study: Evanston-Skokie School District 65 improves student belonging and reduces behavior referrals with Branching Minds and Canopy Case Management

Evanston-Skokie School District 65 cuts major behavior referrals by 50% with Branching Minds

Evanston-Skokie School District 65 faced challenges with reactive student support, rising chronic absenteeism of 21%, and disproportionate behavioral referrals for students of color. The district needed a way to proactively identify students needing help before a crisis occurred. They partnered with Branching Minds, utilizing its MTSS Core Platform and Canopy Case Management service to centralize their data and move to a more proactive approach.

The solution implemented by Branching Minds involved integrating SEL survey data with academic metrics to provide a holistic view of each student, enabling team-based safety protocols and structured assessments within the Canopy system. As a result, the district saw a 50% reduction in major behavior incident referrals, a 7% increase in students' sense of belonging, and a 2.4% decrease in chronic absenteeism over two years. Branching Minds provided the district-wide insight needed to shift the culture from reactive problem-solving to proactive, data-driven support.

Evanston-Skokie School District 65