Our education system is at an inflection point, and as COVID-19 makes us reconsider the best ways to teach students, we must also consider how assessment and accountability need to shift toward a more modern structure.

The truth about education in this country can be hard to stomach. In this episode, we go on a journey through the history of education policy in the United States, challenging beliefs about teachers of color and the outcomes of students of color and the outcomes of students of color.

Dr. Samuel speaks to Jason Willis from the Comprehensive School Assistance Program (CSAP) at WestEd and Daniel Thatcher from the National Conference of State Legislators about the history of school finance, how wealth widens the education achievement gap, and what policymakers need to do now to improve outcomes for students who need the most support.

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In the first episode, we start with the personal and the profound: a meeting with Minnijean Brown-Trickey, a civil rights hero who was one of the Little Rock 9, and Dr. Samuel’s encounter with the Charlottesville letter, a disturbing document that reveals the persistent evils of segregation.

Cynthia Treadwell, an elementary school principal in Illinois, believes that in education, “the name of the game is growth.” How can teachers ensure their students are growing? With trustworthy data from a research-backed assessment.

There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all education. The right assessment is the key to reaching each and every student—exactly where they are.

MAP Growth is more than just an assessment with a 50,000 item pool. It’s an assessment that helps teachers teach and students learn.