The Building Assets-Reducing Risks Program: Replication and Expansion of an Effective Strategy to Turn Around Low-Achieving Schools. i3 Development Grant. Final Report
Author: Corsello, Maryann
Date: 2015-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: School Turnaround,Models,Grade 9,High Schools,Suburban Schools,Randomized Controlled Trials,Replication (Evaluation),High School Freshmen,Program Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Academic Failure,Credits,Grade Point Average,Standardized Tests,Scores,Mathematics Achievement,Reading Achievement,Teacher Student Relationship,Achievement Gap,Program Implementation,Fidelity,Rural Schools,Beginning Teachers,Experienced Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Hispanic American Students

The Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) Model BARR is a comprehensive model that addresses the challenges that are part of the 9th grade transition year. BARR employs eight different school-wide and individual strategies that are built on positive relationships and ongoing monitoring of student data. In 2010, BARR received an Investing in Innovation (i3) Development grant from the US Department of Education to replicate BARR and conduct a randomized controlled trial to test its effectiveness. This report details the final results of the i3 Development grant. A large suburban high school in southern California participated in a within-school Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) of the BARR Model. A total of 555 9th grade students were randomly assigned to BARR and non-BARR conditions. At the end of the RCT year, BARR students had earned significantly more core course credits, higher grade point averages, and had a lower course failure rate than non-BARR students. BARR students also earned significantly higher standardized test scores on the Northwest Education Association's (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) scores in mathematics and reading than did non-BARR students after one year of implementation; specifically an average of two years of growth in mathematics, compared to one year of decline in the non-BARR condition. In the second and third years of the grant, BARR was implemented in the entire 9th grade, and the core course failure rate continued to decline. In addition, the achievement gap between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students closed by year two of implementation and remained closed in year three. Implementation fidelity of the BARR model was achieved in year one, and continued to improve over the second and third years of the study. BARR was also implemented in two smaller rural high schools in Maine. Decreases in core course failure rate, increases in grade point averages, and increases in standardized test scores in reading, language, and mathematics were achieved if the BARR model was implemented with fidelity. BARR teachers reported improved relationships with students, increased ability to perceive student strengths, use of data to improve student performance, better communication with administration, less isolation, and better problem solving of problematic student issues. Results were seen for both new and veteran teachers. The following are appended: (1) Attrition for credits earned, NWEA Reading, NWEA Mathematics; (2) Baseline Measurement--Group Data; (3) Mean number of core credits and NWEA scores by study group, gender and Hispanic origin; (4) Regression models predicting core credits earned, spring NWEA Mathematics scores, and spring NWEA Reading scores; (5) Reported findings--group data and estimates; (6) OLS Regressions for proficiency groups; (7) Core credits by gender and Hispanic origin over 3 years; (8) Fidelity ratings for key components of the BARR program; and (9) Teacher survey results.