Minnesota Schools Awarded Funding to Implement Evidence-Based BARR System

BARR Center (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) announced today that 18 additional Minnesota schools have been selected to implement its evidenced-based system. The 2023 Minnesota legislature approved $5 million for the expansion of the BARR system which focuses on improving school culture and student outcomes. The BARR system is used in 40 schools in Minnesota and over 300 schools in the nation.

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Funded through Minnesota's 2023 K12 Education Finance bill (HF 2497) and working with the Minnesota Department of Education in the selection process, the following schools were awarded three-years of funding to roll out BARR's system:

Elementary Schools: Brookview Elementary School, Stillwater School District; Ellen Hopkins Elementary School, Moorhead School District; North Metro Flex Academy Charter School, North St. Paul; Northport Elementary School, Robbinsdale School District; Roosevelt Elementary School, Detroit Lakes School District; Southview Elementary School, Marshall School District; Wilshire Park Elementary School, St. Anthony New Brighton School District.

Middle Schools: Detroit Lakes Middle School, Detroit Lakes School District; Marshall Middle School, Marshall School District; North Junior High School, St. Cloud School District; Oak-Land Middle School, Stillwater School District; South Junior High School, St. Cloud School District.

High Schools: Apple Valley High School, Rosemount- Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools; Crookston High School, Crookston School District; Eden Prairie High School, Eden Prairie School District; Jordan High School, Jordan School District; Mankato East High School, Mankato School District; Two Rivers High School, ISD 197 West St. Paul and Mendota Heights.

Highly competitive, more than 50 schools applied. Schools selected are geographically distributed and priority consideration was given to schools with a concentration of black, indigenous, and students of color, and those experiencing poverty.

Educator training is underway as schools begin implementing the BARR system during the 2023-24 school year. These schools will form a statewide network and also join the national network of BARR schools.

"BARR's mission is to create equitable schools where every student, regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic status, has access to high-quality education where adults know them, recognize their strengths, and help them succeed," explains Angela Jerabek, founder and executive director of the BARR Center. "I am so grateful to the Minnesota legislature for allocating this funding so more educators and students can experience the BARR system, a true evidence-based school success system. I am very excited to have additional schools entering BARR's system."

Now more than ever, in this challenging, post-pandemic period, educators need support addressing school climate and student mental health issues. Using existing resources, the BARR system focuses on building meaningful relationships – capitalizing on the strengths of every student – and leveraging student data to truly transform a school's culture. In every school implemented it has proven to be a successful way to meet the social and emotional needs of all students while simultaneously increasing student achievement and teacher satisfaction and effectiveness.

The BARR system stands alone as the most consistently proven school improvement model in the country. Through rigorous studies conducted by the American Institute for Research (AIR), the BARR system has demonstrated statistically significant results in 20 areas, including increasing math and English achievement scores, improving student credit attainment, reducing course failure, closing the achievement gap, and reducing chronic absenteeism all while improving the school environment for both students and staff.

About BARR Center
BARR Center (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) delivers the expertise and resources required for a school to implement the BARR system, an evidence-backed system designed to nurture a collaborative and strengths-based culture of support and success for every student through intentionally deepening relationships and improving the use of data. For more information, visit, https://barrcenter.org/.

The contents of this press release do not necessarily represent the policy of the federal Department of Education or the state Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the federal or state government.

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SOURCE BARR Center