Three Idaho schools are using a data-driven system backed by $900,000 in donations to help teachers identify struggling students and coordinate support.
The system comes from the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) Center. The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation and Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health donated the money.
The three-year implementation program began in spring of 2026 at:
- Jenifer Middle School in the Lewiston School District
- Meridian Middle School in the West Ada School District
- Taylorview Middle School in the Idaho Falls School District
Chief Tahgee Elementary Academy in Fort Hall will launch the BARR model this fall.
“We believe strong academic outcomes start with supporting the whole student,” Albertson Family Foundation Executive Director Roger Quarles said in a press release from the Idaho Department of Education. “BARR is a proven, research-based approach that aligns with our commitment to investing in opportunities that help Idaho students reach their full potential.”
Under the BARR model, teachers meet regularly to discuss individual students’ strengths and weaknesses. They use data to track daily academic performance, attendance and behavioral needs.
An independent 2019 evaluation by the American Institutes for Research found the BARR method to be “an effective intervention” for ninth graders in 11 high schools.
On its website, BARR cites data showing improved test scores, lower failure rates and reduced chronic absenteeism.
Disclosure: Idaho Education News is supported by a grant from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation.
