Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Background: The Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) model was developed 19 years ago in a high school in the Midwest, and has used the opportunities afforded by i3 funding to test the BARR model in 7 within-school randomized control trials (RCT) with 5 more RCT schools planned next year. BARR leveraged the rigorous evidence produced by their Development grant to successfully receive funding from a Validation grant.

Perspectives: I will discuss the supports for rigorous evaluation provided by i3 from the perspective of a grantee. As the developer of the BARR model, and a school guidance counselor, I have seen first-hand how i3 funded research has improved our model and leveraged our work with stakeholders and policy makers. Ouri3 research has found that BARR increases the number of core credits earned in 9th grade, as well as increases standardized test scores in mathematics and reading. BARR has impacted over 13,000 students in eight states and is growing.

Having research evidence is critical in our interactions with key stakeholders in districts and schools.  For example, the evidence provided by our first RCT study enabled the superintendent to leverage state funds to bring BARR to all four high schools in his district. This district has earned awards for academic improvement and closing the achievement gap, providing more evidence for BARR’s effectiveness with key stakeholders in surrounding districts.  BARR was also implemented in smaller, rural schools in Maine and produced increased standardized test scores and lower failure rate in 9th grade students. Because of the success of the BARR model, other Maine schools have adopted BARR, local and state officials have endorsed it, and legislators have advocated for continued support of the i3 program at the federal level. 

The resources provided by i3 have allowed us to more fully integrate research into the BARR model. We have tested the model in urban, rural, and suburban schools; have developed and refined four implementation fidelity tools to share with schools so they can achieve similar outcomes regardless of the setting; and are tracking student and teacher measures over time in BARR schools as the model spreads to other grades. Our validation grant allows us to study BARR in a variety of school environments, and to determine what supports are needed to implement BARR more broadly. We are also investigating how BARR creates changes in students and teachers, and the ways in which schools become more effective.

Conclusions: We have become more skilled at explaining and encouraging schools to participate in RCT studies and more adept at working with schools to share data and implement the model with fidelity while maintaining business as usual during the study. The research funded by i3 has enabled us to discuss BARR’s effectiveness with multiple audiences that are eager to invest in programs proven to work. School and district office administrators, school board members, state and local officials, funding organizations, and most importantly students, teachers, and parents want effective schools. Having scientific evidence opens the door to making this happen.