Assessing student learning in the “new normal”: Considerations for policy and practice

This paper describes high quality teaching practices in two schools that produce exceptional growth for all kinds of students. These practices focus on making the most of instructional time and exposing students to high quality content in a variety of contexts. They prove teachers don’t need to choose between differentiating to meet students’ needs and giving them access to grade-level learning.

This brief is a response to Paul Zavitkovsky’s paper titled “Data Rich/Information Poor,” and includes NWEA’s high-level comments and concerns regarding Mr. Zavitkovsky’s claims. The brief highlights five areas that challenge the strength, validity, and quality of some of Mr. Zavitkosky’s “findings,” and as such, provide context for interpreting his results with caution and scrutiny.

The science of reading is both a body of research and movement in literacy education. How do we keep those two things connected when they’re not always aligned? What are most common myths about literacy instruction, how do we fight them? A roundtable of educators and specialists from NWEA join Jacob & Kailey to talk about how the science of reading works best in classrooms and where both the movement and the research are going.

We talk to Tatiana Ciccarelli, a math educator and model teacher from New York City, currently supporting educators around the country through professional learning, and Dr. Chase Nordengren, principal research scientist for effective instruction at NWEA.

Ninety-nine districts partnered with NWEA and Khan Academy to implement MAP Accelerator during the COVID-disrupted 2020–21 school year. Results indicate that students using MAP Accelerator for 30 or more minutes a week throughout the school year showed greater-than-expected growth, on average, from fall 2020 to spring 2021 on their MAP Growth tests compared to normative growth based on pre-pandemic trends.

The “science of reading” has become one of those ubiquitous buzzword phrases in education. Educators may find themselves wondering, “What are the implications of the science of reading for me, my students, and my whole approach to literacy instruction?” Answer those questions and more with this detailed guide. 

Implementing the science of reading is an ongoing process to shift instructional strategies to evidence-based practices. Two literacy experts from NWEA® share six ways literacy educators can continue to build on their progress and take the science of reading to the next level.