The Barr Foundation aims to enhance the quality of education across New England, particularly in secondary education. It focuses on opening doors to rigorous, personalized education to enable young people to thrive. The foundation emphasizes transforming high schools to become more relevant through various learning models that cater to the diverse needs of students, preparing them for higher education, the workforce, and community engagement.
The Barr Foundation's Education Program is built around broad goals to improve secondary education in New England by making it more personalized, inclusive, and connected to the wider world of higher education and employment. They champion three guiding principles: positioning students at the center of their education, linking schools to all aspects of learning, and considering the community as a core element of educational achievement. The program invests in new learning models, supporting innovations that are tailored to the needs of young people today. Their strategies include catalyzing new models to transform the high school experience, building public will for high-quality schools, and investing in educators to diversify and enhance the teaching and leadership workforce in education. Their approach values collaboration, flexibility, and the sharing of insights to inform broader change and promote educational equity.