Schools can know and reach each student

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As school principals, we've seen firsthand the heavy toll the last few years have taken on Minnesota's students and educators. There's a tremendous need right now to support students academically, socially, and emotionally — not through piecemeal solutions but through investments in strategies proven to work here in Minnesota.

This year, the Minnesota Legislature has the opportunity to take a significant step forward. Bipartisan legislation filed last month (HF 806/SF 494) would provide one-time funding for more schools to implement the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) model — a proven approach to school improvement that emphasizes positive school culture, teacher coaching and data-driven decisionmaking.

BARR was developed here in Minnesota. Many schools across the state, including ours, have already seen its results. If the legislation is passed, at least 30 more schools in Minnesota would receive coaching, professional development, curriculum and resources over three years to fully implement the BARR system. After that, schools can sustain the system independently, without additional funding.

What makes the BARR approach unique is its focus on ensuring that schools are set up to truly know each and every student and what they need to succeed. It recognizes what many educators already know: Students are more likely to learn when their social, emotional and physical needs are met.

In our schools, that means carving out dedicated time in the school day to build relationships with students. We bring together teachers serving the same students for regular structured meetings to discuss their progress and challenges. We provide a dedicated space for student-focused conversations that lead to solutions that truly support every student.

This focus on relationships is paired with an emphasis on data and high expectations. We provide the time and training for staff to look closely at data to identify early on when students need additional help, rather than waiting until they've fallen off course or stopped showing up to school altogether.

More than 100 schools throughout the U.S. are currently implementing BARR, ranging from large urban high schools to small rural elementary, middle and high schools. Rigorous independent research has shown that schools using this approach improve in 20 areas, including more students passing their core courses, fewer students chronically absent and teachers reporting improved collaboration with colleagues.

In our own schools, the data speaks for itself. Detroit Lakes High School's 2022 year-end data showed a 27% decrease in failure rates for our 10th- through 12th-grade students and a 42% decrease in failure rates for ninth-grade students. At Lake Elmo Elementary School, our Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) scores in grades three-five increased 10% from 2019 to 2022.

We are proud of this progress, and it's a testament to how much the BARR training and support has improved our teachers' experiences. One of our teachers shared that he's been teaching for 31 years and has often felt like he's on an island when dealing with students who struggled. He was on his own trying to figure out how to support these students because there wasn't a system set up for him to collaborate with other teachers.

His experience has changed in the last year and a half since Detroit Lakes implemented the BARR system. Under the new model, he says, teachers collaborate and share strategies about how to meet the needs of students. He no longer feels isolated and believes he is building stronger connections with all students.

At Lake Elmo Elementary, a veteran teacher of 38 years said that while she has seen initiatives come and go, BARR is here to stay.

This improved way of building relationships and sharing student data across school teams is truly making all the difference in how we "do school." At a time when many students are struggling academically and emotionally, now's the opportunity to invest in the relationships and support they need to thrive.

Stephen D. Gorde is the principal of Lake Elmo Elementary School. Josh Omang is the principal of Detroit Lakes High School.