Assessment and Accountability to Monitor and Support Learning Recovery
Agenda
Thursday, September 22nd
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 9:00am | Welcome: Best Practices in Using Assessment to Monitor and Support the Recovery Scott Marion, Center for Assessment The pandemic disruptions to schools have had a well-documented effect on student learning. We now need to focus our efforts on accelerating student learning at a rate our country has not yet seen on a broad scale. We required this level of acceleration for many students before the pandemic. This presentation will set the stage for the rest of the conference about how we can use assessments to support and monitor student learning, particularly in terms of the apparent need to accelerate learning at scale. |
| 9:15am | From Impact to Recovery: How Pandemic Studies Help Inform Recovery Efforts Damian Betebenner, Center for Assessment Charity Flores, Indiana Department of Education Darin Nielsen, Utah State Board of Education Robert Lee, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education In this session, we illustrate how the analysis of state assessment data can help identify the impact of pandemic disruptions and support and monitor recovery efforts. We will share results from states where the Center has conducted pandemic impact and recovery studies. An expert panel of state leaders will share their experience shepherding their assessment program through pandemic disruptions. |
| 10:45am | Break |
| 11:00am | Framing Pandemic Impact and Recovery: District Perspectives André Rupp, Center for Assessment Erika Landl, Center for Assessment Debbie Durrence, Gwinnett County (GA) Public Schools Miranda McLaren, Gwinnett County (GA) Public Schools Adam Hicks, Shelby County (KY) Public Schools The session is designed to provide a contextual perspective of the impact of the pandemic disruptions on student learning at the district level. We are fortunate to be joined by multiple district leaders who will describe the various mitigating processes and practices that their districts have implemented. One of the main goals of this session is to have RILS participants gain a deeper understanding of the complexities and interactions of factors on the ground and how these district leaders have used the various assessment and accountability-related data for managing this challenging situation. |
| Noon | Lunch |
| 1:15pm | Focusing on the Formative Assessment Processes to Accelerate Learning Carla Evans, Center for Assessment Jeri Thompson, Center for Assessment Caroline Wylie, ETS, Principal Research Scientist/Research Director, K-12 Teaching, Learning and Assessment Christine Landwehrle, Assistant Superintendent, NH SAU 39 Joe Yahna, Principal (PK-8), Josiah Bartlett Elementary School (NH SAU 9) Chantel DeNapoli, Elementary Math Specialist, Concord School District (NH SAU 8) Kathy White, Director of Deeper Learning, New Hampshire Learning Initiative This session focuses on the power and potential of formative assessment processes to accelerate student learning. The session begins with an overview of what often impedes and fosters formative assessment in classrooms and what states and local education agencies can do to support high-quality implementation. A panel comprising national, state, and local education leaders and teachers will then share their experiences related to supporting high-quality formative assessment processes in classrooms. They will address questions such as: what tends to work and does not work, for whom, under what conditions, and why. Then, small group discussions will allow participants to reflect on the previous conversation, concluding in a question and answer session with the panel. |
| 3:30pm | How Do We Know If Recovery Strategies Are Working? Juan D’Brot, Center for Assessment Chris Brandt, Center for Assessment Scott Marion, Center for Assessment This two-part session is intended to help ensure that we accurately identify learning issues and match these issues with solutions based on the best available evidence. Many solutions to current challenges are tied to accelerating student learning at scale in response to the impact of the pandemic. Across these two sessions, participants will develop practical evaluation strategies to identify barriers and monitor the effectiveness of efforts to accelerate student learning. |
| 4:30pm | Adjourn Day One |
Friday, September 23th
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 9:00am | Monitoring Progress: But how do you know? Juan D’Brot, Center for Assessment Chris Brandt, Center for Assessment The second part of this discussion focuses on practical applications for program evaluation. We will explore and provide guidance on defining a problem, considering solutions, and identifying appropriate evidence to monitor whether those solutions are working. This session will conclude with revisiting our Day 1 activity and looking for opportunities to monitor progress more effectively. |
| 10:15am | Break |
| 10:30am | The Role of State Accountability and Reporting to Support Recovery Chris Domaleski, Center for Assessment Laura Pinsonneault, Center for Assessment Ajit Gopalakrishnan, Connecticut Department of Education Shelly Robertson, Ohio Department of Education We examine the impact of pandemic disruptions on school accountability systems and how states have addressed these challenges. We will focus on how accountability and reporting systems can help education leaders broadly understand the impact of the pandemic disruptions on student outcomes. Moving beyond solely technical considerations, we will discuss how systems can most appropriately influence support. |
| 11:45am | Closing Remarks Chris Domaleski, Center for Assessment |
| Noon | Lunch and Adjourn |
