6.29.23 Cara Holt 3 tips for understanding when—and how—to use formative assessment When I was in the classroom, I felt skilled using data. My students set daily personal goals, we had learning targets based on our data, and students had assessment goals. I often taught whole-group... Read more
6.27.23 Katie Carroll, NWEA Misconceptions preventing innovation and improvement in state assessments The purpose of state assessment systems has been hotly debated over the past 20 years. State assessments are designed to ensure every child has access to an equitable and excellent education, but are... Read more
6.22.23 Erin Beard, NWEA What is formative assessment? Human-centered formative assessment drives long-term, holistic success for students. Because there is still confusion around this type of assessment, let’s explore what it is and why it should be a... Read more
6.20.23 Chase Nordengren, NWEA 10 ways to meet the learning needs of all students Walk into any classroom today and you’ll find great variation in student growth and kids with a variety of strengths, academic experiences, and needs. Superintendents now report an average of half... Read more
6.15.23 Fenesha Hubbard, NWEA Your math academic identity makes a difference for your students We’ve got a big problem in math education and people are struggling to solve it. Student performance is declining, teachers are overwhelmed, professional development is lacking, and researchers and... Read more
6.13.23 Mary Resanovich, NWEA It’s time to prioritize rigor in math instruction I was an unremarkable math student for most of my K–12 years. That said, I have a few very distinct memories of my math journey. In second grade, I remember being sent to the third-grade class for... Read more
6.8.23 Gina Wilmurth, NWEA Integrating supports for student success in writing How can we support all learners in an academically diverse classroom? Will providing supports to some give them an unfair advantage? We can begin to address these common concerns by thinking about... Read more
6.6.23 Monica Rodríguez, NWEA In response to Bill Gates in The 74: NWEA experts weigh in on math instruction Whenever Bill Gates discusses anything, it sets internet hearts aflutter. After all, the Microsoft founder and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation standard-bearer has a lot of experience and influence,... Read more
6.1.23 Carolyn Frost, NWEA A simple idea for adding crosscutting concepts to science lessons My stepdaughter is attending nursing school. During her initial hospital rotations, she wondered if she had made a mistake. She thought nursing would be more than distributing medications and giving... Read more
5.30.23 Steven Wise, NWEA Don’t test after lunch: Time of day affects test-taking engagement When we assess a student’s achievement using MAP® Growth™, we assume they remain fully engaged throughout the test. This assumption allows us to view their RIT score as an accurate indicator of... Read more
5.25.23 Megan Kuehl, NWEA Free lesson plans for your science classroom are here I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: science is not neutral. Given this reality, it makes sense that students need opportunities to see science through an equity lens and build the skills... Read more
5.23.23 Michael Dahlin, NWEA Measuring growth and understanding negative growth As an NWEA researcher, I often answer questions about how to interpret changes in observed scores on MAP® Growth™. Measuring student growth with MAP Growth is a lot like measuring growth in height... Read more
