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District expands BAR intervention; Ellis Middle School reports gains in behavior and failure rates
Summary
Austin Public Schools coordinators reported May 20 that the BAR model’s pilot implementations at Ellis Middle School and the high school have reduced major behavior incidents and lower failure rates while increasing credit attainment for participating students.
School staff and coordinators told the board on May 20 that the BAR model — a schoolwide framework of coaching, team meetings and focused lessons — has been expanded and is showing early positive results at Ellis Middle School and at the high school.
Karen Dunbar, middle school BAR coordinator, and Angie Taylor, high school BAR coordinator, presented implementation details and school-level outcomes, including improved attendance metrics, a falling failure rate and a large drop in documented major behavior incidents at Ellis.
At Ellis, the presenters said the quarter-3 attendance rate rose from 91.62% last year to 92.37% this year, and the third-quarter failure-rate baseline fell from 14.9% to 12.5%. Dunbar reported a decrease in major behavior incidents logged in the district system from 1,587 (through March 31 last year) to 397 this year; staff attributed the decline to keeping students in class when possible and stronger in-class supports.
In small-group and individual interventions, staff described a simple weekly 1-on-1 check-in used with students who had failed multiple classes: teachers or coaches meet a student weekly in study hall, track grades on a spreadsheet, send a positive postcard home and monitor progress. Presenters said the pilot group of 17 students reduced the combined number of failing grades from 45 in quarter 1 and 53 in quarter 2 to 24 in quarter 3.
Taylor described catch days, scheduled in core subjects, as a way for teachers to provide reteaching and for students who are current to take enrichment activities in media centers; activities cited included board games, VR, and supervised study time.
High-school BAR expansion includes adding the Packer Profile seminar course into team structures, providing dedicated class time for interventions and credit-recovery supports. Taylor said BAR high-school teams showed improved credit attainment: the district-wide measure of ninth graders attaining six or more credits rose (pilot cohort data showed a 5 percentage-point increase overall and 78% attainment among BAR students).
Both coordinators emphasized family engagement tactics — positive postcards, events and volunteer involvement — and noted coach visits, weekly team meetings and data dashboards as central to tracking progress.
Why it matters: The BAR model aims to reduce failures and behavioral referrals while increasing credit accrual and connectedness — factors district leaders connect to higher graduation rates. Presenters said the model is moving from pilots to broader implementation and will be extended to additional grades and sites next year.
Trustees asked about logistics, space and how catch days work; presenters described media centers and after-school volunteers as key supports and said the model uses existing staff time and recent grant funds to expand offerings.
