The Navigator Program aims to connect every student in the district to a caring adult who serves as their mentor, advocate, and advisor – their “navigator.” Navigators can be teachers, counselors, or other school staff members. Every school identifies a lead navigator to support program implementation and serve as a liaison with the district implementation team. The program is designed to strengthen student-adult relationships through students’ use of a computer-based weekly reflection platform and an in-person monthly check-in with their navigator.

In our study, we interviewed current navigators in schools with varying levels of implementation quality, reported findings back to district leaders, and helped establish a set of action steps to improve monitoring and supports for implementation in the 2023-24 school year.