This session, led by Colorado Representative Cathy Kipp, CSG West Education Committee Co-Chair, examined critical aspects of student success – including academic and non-academic factors. Megan Reder-Schopp, Director of Research with the BARR Center, overviewed “Building Assets, Reducing Risks” (BARR,) a system fostering strong relationships and leveraging data-driven interventions to enhance student outcomes.
Representative Kipp also facilitated a roundtable discussion where committee members engaged about pressing education topics impacting their states and recent legislative successes and challenges. Notable issues addressed in this conversation include special education funding, implementation of new school funding formulas, and cell phone accessibility in learning environments.
Part 1 | BARR: A Comprehensive, K-12 Strengths-Based Approach to Boosting Student Achievement
Introducing BARR
Reder-Schopp described BARR as a K-12 coaching and training partner with a quarter-century track record of raising student math and reading scores, increasing teacher satisfaction and retention, and decreasing student disciplinary incidents. Underlying BARR, she noted, is a core belief that both students and educators possess immense potential and thrive when provided with a supportive system that enables them to realize their talents.
History and Growth
Reder-Schopp traced BARR’s journey to its inception in 1999 at a Minnesota high school. In the years since, BARR has received several notable grants, including the U.S. Department of Education’s Investing in Innovation (i3) Development Grant in 2010 and the i3 Scale-Up Grant in 2017. Recently, the Minnesota Legislature approved $5 million for expanding BARR to 18 additional schools, while the Maine Department of Education funded BARR in over 70 schools.
Evidence and Effectiveness
- Research and Development: Reder-Schopp highlighted BARR’s history of two decades of research and development involving 78 schools in randomized controlled trials. These studies revealed 20 areas of statistically significant outcomes.
- Academic Improvement: She noted that BARR consistently meets the evidence for ESSA requirements for “strong evidence” in both reading and math, demonstrating significant improvements in these areas.
Implementation and Impact
- Pillars of BARR: Reder-Schopp outlined the two pillars of BARR’s framework: relationships (staff-to-staff, student-to-student, staff-to-student) and data (quantitative and qualitative).
- Holistic Approach: Social changes, health, and attendance are notable markers for ensuring a comprehensive understanding of each student.
- Teacher and Student Benefits: Reder-Schopp stated that BARR’s implementation has significantly improved teacher attitudes and experiences, with educators reporting a greater sense of self-efficacy and increased perception of their schools as supportive environments. Students, she noted, feel more supported by adults, more engaged in their education, and more motivated to succeed. Reder-Schopp underscored that the BARR system is associated with improved student attendance, reduced behavioral issues, increased graduation rates, and higher pass rates in core classes.
Creating Systemic Change
Reder-Schopp outlined BARR’s system-wide approach, which includes professional development for teachers, counselors, and administrators. She cited examples such as the BARR I-Time Curriculum, cohort-based student groups, and regular team meetings to address each student’s needs. Reder-Schopp underlined BARR’s emphasis on building strong relationships within the school community and with families to support student success.
Part 2 | Education Committee Roundtable:
Legislative Challenges, Successes, and Critical Issues
Current State Challenges in Education
- Special Education Funding: Diminishing capacity to fund special education was a recurring theme among committee members. Many contended that the federal government’s current special education funding levels are inadequate and further strain states’ budgets.
- Funding Capacity: Several committee members expressed concern that increased state funding allocated to school vouchers, educational savings accounts, and similar programs severely impacts existing public education funding. They described already-strained funding conditions and worry that states cannot adequately fund their public-school systems without further mitigation.
- Teacher Standards: Committee members discussed differences in teacher certification standards between public schools and charter or private schools in their states. Some expressed concern about state laws that do not require charter or private schools to hire fully certified teachers. In situations where state or local authorities cannot regulate hiring, they outlined risks posed to students.
Legislative Successes
- Colorado’s New Public School Finance Formula: Colorado legislators described recent successes in passing HB24-1448, which implements a new school funding formula designed to distribute resources more equitably by considering local cost of living and student needs. Signed into law in May, a 17-member School Finance Task Force recommended the new formula.
- Idaho LAUNCH: Idaho Senator Janie Ward-Engelking shared insights about her state’s Idaho LAUNCH program that started in 2023. Idaho has committed $75 million per year to help high school students gain postsecondary education or workforce training in high-demand careers. The program aims to address the state’s skilled labor shortage as its economy and population grow rapidly. It provides students with a one-time opportunity to have 80% of the tuition and fees at an eligible institution covered, up to a maximum amount of $8,000.
Continuing Conversation
Committee members recommended priority education topics for continued engagement, including:
- Teacher licensure: Considering urban cultural responsiveness requirements for obtaining teacher licensure, particularly about changing teacher workforce demographics amid educator shortages.
- Student safety: Further examination of safety relating to punitive actions administered toward students, particularly at the pre-K level, including the potentially disproportionate impact on students of color.
- Cell phone accessibility in schools: Committee members encouraged further discussion around student access to cell phones, particularly in the classroom environment. Members described studies indicating the impact on learning even when students are near – but not actively engaged with – a cellular device.