Education Policy

Education Policy

Educators and policymakers need supportive policies to improve schools. We partner with states and districts to develop those policies and advocate their adoption at the district, state and federal levels. In papers, blog posts and presentations nationally, we highlight good policy practices.


Recent Education Policy Projects

Maryland

We partnered with Maryland as it undertook a comprehensive re-envisioning of both its assessment and accountability systems. The Center helped develop and coordinate a broad-based task force to help define policy priorities, which we documented in a comprehensive report that outlined clear recommendations to improve assessment and accountability.

National Assessment Governing Board

Scott Marion is one of three measurement professionals on the 26-member board that sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the “Nation’s Report Card.” In this role, he helps support the technical quality of the assessment and advocates for strong policies to support it.

Policy briefs, blogs and webinars

We work to build support for federal and state policies to support high-quality assessment and accountability systems that ensure that all students have a fair opportunity to learn meaningful content and skills. Two short papers, “The Case for State Testing” and “The Case for Statewide School Accountability Systems,” are recent examples of this work.


Recent Education Policy Blog Posts and Papers

Navigating Formative Assessment in Mathematics: Lessons from Rincon Valley Union School District

A recent project to build professional learning communities that support teachers in formative assessment shows the importance of flexible leadership.
July 2, 2025

Zero-based Assessment System Design

How an idea from budget management can help school districts break the logjams they face when they try to get rid of unnecessary tests.
June 25, 2025

The Secret to Making Policy Stick: Getting the Advice You Need

Policies don’t implement themselves. Three key advisory groups can help states move from concept to classroom.
May 7, 2025

Making the Most of the Data We Have: A Five-Part Strategy for Challenging Times

Education leaders need new strategies to protect their data and use it effectively, since moves by the Trump administration threaten their access to the data that supports good decision-making.
April 8, 2025

The Case for State Testing

States should keep giving statewide tests even if the Trump administration stops enforcing federal assessment laws.
March 7, 2025

How Should States Choose a Growth Model?

Nearly all states use a measure of student longitudinal growth in accountability. But how should states decide which growth model to use?
February 20, 2025

The Challenges of Assessing 21st Century Competencies

A new report from the Center explores the challenges of assessing 21st century competencies and offers practical advice.
January 22, 2025

Assessing 21st Century Competencies: Guiding Principles for States and Districts

Students need 21st century competencies to succeed in school, work and civic life. But assessing those competencies is challenging.
January 21, 2025

Subtraction in Assessment and Accountability (Re)Design

Resisting our urge to add design layers to assessment and accountability systems—and subtracting instead—can produce better solutions.
January 15, 2025

Assessment Score Reports Must Get Better!

Two relatively easy changes in states’ assessment score reports can go a long way toward helping users understand the results.
January 8, 2025
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