Welcome to the Early Signal Project.

We’re a non-profit that combines academic records, attendance trends, and weekly sentiment check-ins to detect early signs of socio-emotional risk in middle and early high school students. Each week, counselors and teachers receive a concise risk report, complete with explanation of key drivers, so they can step in with targeted interventions before students fall behind or crisis strikes. Our mission is to foster resilient school communities where every student’s emotional health is identified, supported, and protected.

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Important Information

A cornerstone of the Early Signal Project, these documents establish a transparent, privacy-compliant framework for ethical data use, ensuring informed parental consent, secure data handling, FERPA-aligned practices, and collaborative school partnerships that prioritize student well-being.

  • Early Signal Project: Parent/Guardian Consent Form

    The Early Signal Project utilizes secure, privacy-compliant data to identify early signs of student mental health and academic risk. By analyzing attendance, grades, and behavior records, schools can offer timely support to enhance student well-being and success. Parental consent is required, ensuring adherence to privacy regulations.

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  • Data Handling SOP Template

    The objective is to standardize data management by ESP staff and partners, ensuring privacy and compliance. This SOP covers data handling roles, classification, collection, storage, processing, sharing, and security measures. Regular audits, training, incident responses, and reviews enhance data integrity while protecting sensitive information according to legal requirements.

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  • Sample Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

    The MOU between the Early Signal Project and the School District establishes a partnership to develop a student-support platform aimed at identifying at-risk students and enhancing STEM outreach. It emphasizes data privacy, secure data handling, and compliance with relevant regulations, with a pilot term of 16 weeks and options for renewal or termination.

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  • FERPA Do’s and Don’ts

    The Early Signal Project emphasizes the importance of student data privacy under FERPA. Key practices include treating educational records as protected, using de-identified data, securing consent for non-routine usage, limiting data access, and encrypting information. Violations include sharing identifiable data or using it for non-educational purposes. Compliance builds trust.

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Stories

A strong community doesn’t just surround a student, it uplifts, protects, and grows with them. When we connect data with compassion, we build schools where no one slips through the cracks.

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Behind every data point is a student with a story. Our mission is to ensure those stories are heard before they become cries for help, and to empower educators with the insights to act before it’s too late.”

William Aubrey

Founder: Early Signal Project