St. Louis Park school staff spotlight BARR results and push districtwide MTSS expansion

At the May 27 St. Louis Park School Board meeting, high‑school teachers and district student‑services staff described how the BARR (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) program and a growing multi‑tiered system of supports (MTSS) are being used to identify students’ needs earlier and keep more students on track academically.

Teachers on the high school BARR team told the board the program pairs small‑group social‑emotional lessons with weekly teacher data meetings that let core teachers share observations and intervene quickly. Carly Craigness, BARR coordinator and a high‑school social studies teacher, said the program’s combination of relationship building and data review has reduced failures among ninth‑grade students.

“We’re really celebrating this year because we’ve reached our all‑time low,” Craigness said, noting that 9 percent of ninth‑grade students failed a class this semester and 3.5 percent failed two or more. “We’re really proud of our students, most of all.”

Nut graf: District student‑services leaders told the board the BARR model fits inside a broader MTSS push to standardize screening, progress monitoring and tiered interventions across K–12 — an approach they say will let teachers use a common language about tier‑1 supports while escalating targeted services when students do not make expected progress.

Dr. Constance Robinson, the district director leading MTSS work, told the board the Student Services department oversees 18 areas (including special education, social work, counseling and McKinney‑Vento supports) and that implementation began over the past year. Robinson said the district set specific process goals: consistent universal screeners, regular data cycles, clearer family engagement and a reduction in unnecessary tier‑3 referrals.

“We’re going to be using common language,” Robinson said, describing tier 1 as universal supports for all students, tier 2 as small‑group interventions for about 5–15 percent of students, and tier 3 as more intensive individualized supports. She said MTSS covers academics and behavior, and includes routine formative checks so teams know when to intensify supports.

Robinson reported the district audited special‑education referrals after July workgroups and administrative site visits. She said an early administrative count showed 34 students had been referred in a prior year review; after district efforts this year the district submitted 67 initial special‑education referrals. Robinson said the district’s goal had been to reduce referrals through stronger tier‑1 and tier‑2 work and by improving coordination with partners such as Intermediate District 287 and Nexus.

Teachers described practical examples of tier‑1 supports: planners and biweekly student‑to‑home emails, flexible seating or stand‑up desks for students who need movement, and classroom accommodations aligned to 504 plans. English teacher Colin Jones said weekly BARR teacher meetings let staff “identify where students are struggling and, more importantly, where those patterns are, so we’re able to interrupt and help.”

Board members asked how students are identified for intervention. Teachers and Robinson said referrals arise from combined sources: universal screeners, teacher observations in weekly meetings, attendance data and classroom performance. Robinson stressed the district will use data cycles and site‑level check‑ins to ensure consistent implementation across elementary schools.

Robinson described other MTSS steps now in place or planned: redesigning a new classroom at Susan Lindgren to meet academic needs, telehealth partnerships for high‑school students, monthly data cycles developed with the assessment team, a parent handbook for special‑education processes, and additional professional development and coaching for principals and staff next year.

She said the district aims to strengthen tier‑1 instruction so a higher share of students succeed without escalation and to ensure family engagement mechanisms are available in multiple formats and languages. Robinson said the district has worked with MDE and external partners (Brightworks) to prepare training for principals and new staff for 2025–26.

Board members and staff also discussed the relationship between in‑district supports and services provided by Intermediate District 287, with both sides emphasizing collaboration so students may access specialized services while remaining in their home schools when appropriate.

Ending: Robinson and the teachers said work will continue over the summer and next year to systematize shared literacy practices in ninth grade, expand preventive middle‑school supports, and monitor MTSS implementation with fidelity. The board did not take an action vote on MTSS at the meeting; the presentation was for information and planning.