Building Assets, Reducing Risks:

A Proven Approach That Transforms Schools

2014 by Hazelden Foundation
Why Building Assets, Reducing Risks?
One in four high school students do not graduate.

About 2,000 of the lowest-performing high schools
produce 50 percent of the nations dropouts.

Low-performing schools are located in every state: in
urban, rural, and suburban areas. These schools
disproportionately serve educationally disadvantaged
and minority students.
Research on 9
th
-Grade Student Achievement
2040% of 9th-grade students fail one or more classes
needed for graduation because of factors unrelated to
learning ability.
Low graduation rates are driven by students who
enter high school poorly prepared for success and who
have trouble transitioning to 9th grade
National average = 25% of 9th-graders take 9th grade
over. Some schools exceed this average, with up to
45% of their 9th-graders failing.
Building Assets, Reducing Risks can also be used to
help students achieve in grades 610.
Introduction to School Reform
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was
enacted in 1965 and amended in 2002 with No Child Left
Behind (NCLB). Key goals of these acts are to
raise standards and improve assessments
recruit, retain, and support effective educators
build robust data systems that track student
progress and improve practice
turn around lowest-performing schools
Introduction to School Reform Continued
The U.S. Department of Education grants NCLB waivers
for states that create state-tailored plans designed to
improve educational outcomes for all students
close achievement gaps
increase equity
improve the quality of education

What Is Building Assets, Reducing Risks?
Building Assets, Reducing Risks is an innovative strategy
proven to transform high schools.
This educational model integrates the Developmental Assets
framework, Risk and Protective factors focused on
prevention strategies, and the Attribution Theory of Student
Motivation. It is unique in its approach to addressing the
needs of students using two interrelated approaches:
1. Creating positive, intentional relationships staff to staff,
staff to students, students to students
2. Using real-time student-level performance data to guide
instructional action
What Are the Models Goals?
The model seeks to help youth succeed by helping students
earn all course credits toward graduation
earn higher achievement scores
become more engaged in learning
reduce adverse effects of alcohol and other drugs
The Model Has Eight Key Strategies
1. Professional development
2. Restructuring course schedules
3. Whole student emphasis
4. Block/team meetings and collaborative
problem solving
5. I-Time Developmental Assets curriculum
6. Risk Review meetings
7. Contextual support
8. Parent/guardian involvement

Is This an Evidence-Based Model?
More than 15 years of success in turning around
low-performing schools
Recipient of U.S. Department of Education
Investing in Innovation (i3) Development grant
and Validation grant
Inclusion in the National Registry of Evidence-Based
Programs and Practices (NREPP)
Outcomes Achieved with This Model
Increasing the number of students earning course
credits toward graduation, leading to improved
graduation rates
Raising achievement scores
Increasing student engagement in learning
Reducing the adverse effects of alcohol and other
drug use
Additional Outcomes Achieved with
This Model
Building Assets, Reducing Risks increases student
achievement across an entire school grade by
identifying students who should be accelerated into
gifted programming
increasing academic success of middle-level students
decreasing educational disparities among groups
of students

What Is the Models History?
Building Assets, Reducing Risks was developed by
Angela Jerabek, a school counselor at St. Louis Park
High School in Minnesota.
The model was first implemented in 1999.
It transformed St. Louis Park High School from one of
the lowest-performing high schools in Minnesota to
one of the top-performing high schools.
Research at St. Louis Park High School
Prior to implementation, the high school had a 4447%
failure rate. The rate decreased to 28% in one year.
Current failure rates are 14% and have held steady
for 15 years.
Currently, 87% of students are passing all core subjects.
The number of students of color moving into honors
courses grew from 8 to 96, and the number of credits
earned for honors courses per year for students of color
grew from 16 to over 212.
Research at St. Louis Park High School
Continued
24% of African American students and 9% of Hispanic
students take advanced placement (AP) and honors
coursesconsistent with the percentages in the
overall school population.
In 2012, St. Louis Park High School had a graduation
rate of 80 percent for students of color. The state
average for Minnesota was 40 percent.

Research at St. Louis Park High School
9
th
-Grade Students Experiencing Academic Failure (%)
44
18
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
B
a
s
e
l
i
n
e

1
9
9
8
-
9
9
2
0
0
0
-
0
1
2
0
0
1
-
0
2
2
0
0
2
-
0
3
2
0
0
3
-
0
4
2
0
0
4
-
0
5
2
0
0
5
-
0
6
2
0
0
6
-
0
7
2
0
0
7
-
0
8
2
0
0
8
-
0
9
2
0
0
9
-
1
0
2
0
1
0
-
1
1
2
0
1
1
-
1
2
2
0
1
2
-
1
3
One or More Fs (%) Two or More Fs (%)
St. Louis Park High School Research
Combined Number of AP and IB Tests Taken
Randomized Controlled Trial
Recently, several independent evaluations have been
done using Building Assets, Reducing Risks.
During the 20112012 school year, a randomized
controlled trial was conducted at a large suburban
California high school.
It included 548 students who were randomly assigned
to treatment and control groups.
Of the participants, 37% were Hispanic; 18% were
English language learners.
Randomized Controlled Trial
First-Year Implementation:
Core Class Credit Earning
Randomized Controlled Trial
5.654
5.264
4.9
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
BARR Control
M
e
a
n

C
r
e
d
i
t
s

E
a
r
n
e
d

Study Group
Core Credits Earned
** p<.01
Randomized Controlled Trial
215
220
225
230
235
240
Fall 2011 Spring 2012 Fall 2011 Spring 2012
M
e
a
n

N
W
E
A

S
c
o
r
e

Reading NWEA Math NWEA
Reading and Math NWEA Results
BARR
Control
**
**
** p<.01
Reducing Educational Disparities
5.78
5.4
5.37
5.11
4.6
4.8
5
5.2
5.4
5.6
5.8
6
Non Hispanic Hispanic
M
e
a
n

C
r
e
d
i
t
s

E
a
r
n
e
d

Core Credits Earned by Hispanic Ancestry
BARR
Control
**
** p<.01
Reducing Educational Disparities
212
214
216
218
220
222
224
226
228
230
232
Fall 2011 Spring 2012 Fall 2011 Spring 2012
M
e
a
n

N
W
E
A

R
e
a
d
i
n
g

S
c
o
r
e

Non Hispanic Hispanic
NWEA Reading Scores by Hispanic Ancestry
BARR
Control
**
** p<.04
Reducing Educational Disparities
220
222
224
226
228
230
232
234
236
238
240
Fall 2011 Spring 2012 Fall 2011 Spring 2012
M
e
a
n

N
W
E
A

M
a
t
h

S
c
o
r
e
s

Non Hispanic Hispanic
NWEA Math Scores by Hispanic Ancestry
BARR
Control
*
**
*p<.02
** p<.01
Building Assets, Reducing Risks Research
Other positive outcomes:
increased teacher-student positive relationships
decreased alcohol and other drug use
increased positive feelings toward school
decline in bullying rates for boys
increased job satisfaction for teachers
Many Sources of
Funding Are Available
*Source: U.S. Department of Education
For More Information


hazelden.org/buildingassets
1-800-328-9000