Program Description
Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) is a training and coaching model that serves K–12 schools with a structured system and tools to improve student outcomes. Grounded in two core pillars – Relationships and Data – BARR strengthens staff-student, staff-staff, and student-student relationships while embedding the consistent use of academic and non-academic data into daily practice. .BARR strategies include teacher teams meeting regularly to discuss each student’s strengths and progress and identify obstacles to learning. Community Connect meetings are designed to implement comprehensive strategies to address the needs of the students who need resources outside of school for enrichment and support. Extensive professional development and coaching are provided to teachers and school leaders. Family engagement is key to BARR implementation.
Program Outcomes
One study in a Southern California high school found that struggling readers in BARR gained more than similar students on NWEA Reading, with an average effect size of +0.21. This qualifies BARR for the “Strong” category for struggling readers. Positive outcomes for math were also found.
Staffing Requirements
A staff member needs to be selected to serve as the school’s coordinator for the BARR model. The coordinator can be an assistant principal, school counselor, teacher, or another staff member. The coordinator will manage, coordinate, and integrate the BARR model. He or she works with school staff, administrators, and parents/guardians to support the needs of all students. Teams of teachers need to meet weekly using the BARR process.
Professional Development/Training
Professional Development
Each BARR school will receive two days of in-person professional development annually delivered through a sequenced, multi-year training plan. Each training session uses BARR materials and practice.
In Year 1, training will focus on implementing the BARR model; in Years 2 and 3, training will address advanced implementation topics, including effective team meetings, understanding trauma, reducing risky behaviors, and fostering student resilience.
The BARR coordinator and the school administrator are also invited to participate in quarterly Professional Learning Community (PLC) calls to connect with other schools across the country that are implementing the model and to attend the annual BARR National Conference.
Coaching
Each school will also be assigned a dedicated BARR coach who provides ongoing implementation support through structured weekly coaching sessions and quarterly on-site visits. Schools receive an average of more than 200 hours per year of personalized coaching and technical assistance, with direct support to the BARR Coordinator and school leadership to monitor implementation, address challenges, and support continuous improvement and long-term sustainability.
Technology
No specific technology required
Implementation Notes
As part of the research (Borman et al., 2017), surveys were administered to participating students and teachers across both the treatment (i.e., those participating in BARR) and comparison (i.e., those not participating in BARR) groups at the end of the school year. Findings from the teacher survey demonstrated that after participating in the initiative, BARR teachers had more positive views about their colleagues and collaborating with them (ES = +1.13), reported greater levels of data use to inform instruction (ES = +1.01), and had more favorable perceptions of student behavior in the classroom. The student survey indicated that BARR students felt more supported by their teachers (ES = +0.34), felt their teachers had higher expectations of them (ES = +0.23), and reported significantly greater school engagement (ES = +0.12). Researchers noted particularly large impacts for students of color in regard to supportive relationships, expectations and rigor, and student engagement.