

Growth happens together
Orlando, FL
June 23–June 25


Growth happens together
Orlando, FL
June 23–June 25


Growth happens together
Orlando, FL
June 23–June 25
NWEA welcomes Kim Strobel and Melissa Aviles-Ramos
to the main stage at Fusion 2026.

Inspiration, delivered
Ready to refill your cup? On Tuesday, former teacher and professional development leader Kim Strobel brings a message that’s both deeply human and rooted in science. Drawing on neuroscience, positive psychology, and resilience research, she shares practical, real-world strategies to help educators navigate stress and burnout—and leave recharged with renewed energy, purpose, and a toolkit that lasts.

The human side of measurement
What do you learn when you experience assessment’s impact from multiple perspectives—student, educator, parent, and district leader? Join Melissa Aviles-Ramos, who has led one of the largest school districts in the nation, to explore the human side of measurement, challenging us to rethink how success is defined and how systems can be designed to nurture growth for all learners.
The magic of Fusion begins with you
Do you have a MAP® Growth™ or MAP Reading Fluency™ with Coach best practice people should know about? Great results that can be duplicated in another district? Or maybe even solid advice on what not to do? We—and your colleagues—want to hear about it!

Conference at a glance
2026 NWEA Pre-Conference Fusion line-up
We’ll start by digging deep into MAP Growth data and finish with a vertically aligned plan that’s ready to implement! Educators and leaders will learn to navigate key MAP Growth reports, interpret achievement data, and make student-centered decisions. In the afternoon, you’ll collaborate with experts to develop practical, data-driven strategies that align across grade levels and support school improvement goals. Bring your MAP Growth data and your entire team!
Learn how to transform MAP Reading Fluency data into targeted, effective instruction. Through empathy-building simulations, you’ll see firsthand the challenges for students with low fluency. You’ll then learn to use the reports to identify students’ strengths and opportunities in phonics, word recognition accuracy, and fluency, and explore practical strategies and lesson structures that build fluency. The session culminates in the creation of a personalized action plan.
We’ll dispel common misconceptions about dyslexia, dysgraphia, and developmental language disorder and explore universal design principles and the taxonomy of intervention intensity. You’ll learn to interpret MAP Growth reading data, MAP Reading Fluency data, and other data to target instruction while providing supports for multilingual and bidialectal learners. Finally, you’ll practice integrating evidence-aligned supports into your current RTI systems.
We’ll analyze your MAP data, including growth reports, to see how assessment insights can inform standards-aligned instructional plans and responsive teaching strategies. We’ll also look at ways to use data to differentiate instruction, monitor progress, and ensure equitable growth for all learners. By the end of the session, you’ll have concrete strategies and action steps to plan for and maximize student outcomes throughout the school year.
We’ll start with a deep dive into key reports for leaders, consider how achievement trends may inform school or district goals and plans, and interpret MAP Growth achievement data. In the afternoon, we’ll apply our learning to action planning with MAP data to transform data into actionable steps for student success. We’ll focus on your specific data, guiding you through actionable next steps for your district and school improvement goals.
Breakout Session Highlights
Filter sessions below according to Fusion Category, Audience Type, or NWEA Solutions
Take advantage of early bird pricing!