Austin Schools' Packer Profile Boosts 9th Grade Success

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Austin Public Schools' new 9th Grade Seminar program, which is part of the district's Packer Profile initiative, has shown encouraging results in its first two years. Ninth-grade failure rates have been reduced by half, and 9th graders now have the lowest failure rate of any grade level at the high school. The Seminar course helps students identify their strengths, explore interests, build organizational skills, and plan for life after graduation. The district is partnering with the BARR Center, a proven approach focused on building relationships and using real-time data to guide support.

Why it matters

Reducing 9th grade failures is crucial for setting students up for long-term success. The Packer Profile and 9th Grade Seminar program represent a holistic approach to supporting students' academic, social, and career development at a pivotal transition point in their education.

The details

The 9th Grade Seminar course, now in its second year, has already shown impressive results. Ninth-grade Semester 1 failure rates have been cut in half, and 9th grade now has the lowest failure rate of any grade level at Austin High School. The Seminar helps students identify their strengths, explore interests, build organizational skills, and begin planning for life after graduation. It also meets Minnesota's requirement that students have access to a Personal Learning Plan by 9th grade. Austin High School is partnering with the BARR Center, which uses a strength-based approach focused on building relationships and using real-time data to guide support for students.

• The 9th Grade Seminar program is now in its second year at Austin High School.
• Over the past two years, 9th grade Semester 1 failure rates have been reduced by half.

What’s next

The district will continue to monitor the progress of the 9th Grade Seminar students as they move into 10th grade to better understand the long-term impacts of the program.