Carrie Heath Phillips, senior director of School Improvement Services at NWEA, has dedicated her career to fostering continuous improvement for schools and districts to advance student learning outcomes. Prior to joining NWEA, she worked for the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Carrie was a core team member when CCSSO developed the Common Core State Standards and supported states and districts with adoption and implementation of college- and career-ready English language arts (ELA) and mathematics standards. She began her career in education as a fourth- and fifth-grade classroom teacher in Chicago. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social policy and a master’s degree in education from Northwestern University.