An innovative, evidence-based program to close the academic achievement gap.
The program sets high expectations for students and teachers by providing a proven, flexible, data-driven system centered on the relationships between students and teachers. It changes the way we see and teach students, and ensures that all students can succeed.
How It Works
Building Assets Reducing Risks uses Search Institute’s framework of Developmental Assets® to create safe and supportive environments for students entering high school. Through whole-school reform, it helps educators better systematize, focus, and develop practices for helping students succeed, and increases teacher effectiveness through training, use of student data, and best practices.
Building Assets Reducing Risks provides the materials, training, technical assistance, evaluation, and staff development so schools can implement the following strategies:
- Structure ninth grade classes into teams led by three teachers.
- Facilitate I-Time, a weekly class on social competency, substance abuse prevention, student-to-student relationships, and teacher-to-student relationships.
- Offer staff development on asset building, differentiated instruction, college readiness, and cultural competence.
- Identify high-risk students and implement strength-based intervention through weekly Risk Review meetings.
- Provide real-time data on students, so teacher teams can address students needs and refer to the appropriate support resources if necessary.
Results
The BARR program in St. Louis Park High School has been evaluated for the past 12 years by independent evaluators. Some of the findings are:
- Increased student success. Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests increased from 170 in 1999 to more than 1,100 in 2009. Growth includes demographic groups that had not previously participated in these honors programs in the past.
- Reduced school failure rate. In 1998, 44% of ninth grade students failed at least one class. In the first year of implementation, the number of students failing one or more classes fell to 28%. In subsequent semesters, the failure rate rose no higher than 26%, and usually stayed below 20%.
- Reduced use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. The proportion of boys using tobacco was cut by 50% during BARR implementation, from 19% in the baseline year to 7% six years later. During the same period, the Minnesota average ranged from 14–19%.
The Future
The U.S. Department of Education’s Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund has awarded Search Institute a four-year grant of almost $5 million to expand the BARR program to more than 7,500 students, in four high schools across the country. Search Institute is one of only 49 programs to receive funding, and was the only funded program in Minnesota in 2010.
