Case Study: Spokane School District achieves improved retention of high-risk students with Tableau Software

Spokane Schools keep high-risk students in school

Spokane School District faced a challenge keeping high-risk students in school: data was massive, scattered across systems, and reports arrived too late for timely intervention. Research of 7,000 students showed 86% of dropouts exhibited early warning “tipping points” (notably during transitions to middle and high school), so the district needed a way to spot and act on those signs earlier to reduce dropout rates.

The district integrated disparate sources into a SQL Server data warehouse and built a Tableau-based Early Warning dashboard accessible via a web portal with role-based access. The visualizations made tipping points visible, cut reporting from monthly to 24–48 hours, and enabled teachers, counselors, and principals to intervene faster—improving targeted support and helping drive higher graduation and college-going outcomes.

Spokane School District

Steven Gering

Chief Academic Officer