February 6, 2025

Dear Educator,

Last week, the Nation’s Report Card was published, showing reading scores were down and math scores were stagnant compared to 2022. It's interesting to observe the reactions reports like this drum up in education circles and our broader communities. Some extremes call for the end of public education while others call for more of the same targeted intervention programs that will help learners "catch up."

Yes, reaching a certain level of reading comprehension and mathematical proficiency boosts an individual's ability to effectively navigate the world. I think we'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who disagrees with that statement. How we support young people in getting there is where the conversation rapidly diverges.

We also believe that a single measure is always an incomplete picture, especially when it relates to the development of dynamic learners. This is our call to action. Now is the time for us to reflect on the outcomes that are most important to ensure learners know who they are, thrive in community, and actively engage in the world as their best selves.

This week's Bright Spot features a group of superintendents answering that call to action.

With Gratitude,

Collaborating for Meaningful Shifts In Assessment and Impact

Amid the national conversation on academic recovery, we see a bright spot in the schools and districts embracing learner-centered approaches. These communities are expanding the focus from a single metric of standardized success to deep, meaningful learning—where students are active participants in their growth, supported by educators who understand their unique strengths and needs.

As part of a yearlong partnership, Learner-Centered Collaborative and Michael Fullan’s team gathered with North County San Diego superintendents to Measure What Matters. As innovative leaders, they shared their aspirations, ideas, and next steps around the following questions:

• What is your vision for learners?
• How might we broaden accountability structures to reflect the vision?
• How might assessments of learners shift to collect meaningful evidence?
• How might we collect and share evidence?

San Marcos High School students share about their school and learning experiences.

We have heard these leaders reflect the input of their communities who want young people to develop in ways that a standardized test can’t capture by itself. The superintendents shared that families want their children to learn about self-management, effective collaboration, and real-world problem-solving. They want their children to be prepared for a rapidly changing workforce and to be contributing citizens in connected communities.

If we continue to focus on ranking and sorting students by tests, following standardized curriculum, teaching to the test, and valuing compliance over learning, we will continue struggling to meet this low bar and fail to develop learners who align with our vision.

The Nation's Report Card can serve as a meaningful call to action if we look for the right takeaways. The end goal should not be doing well on a test. Yes, we must support reading and math development, but we must also prepare young people to be critical thinkers, collaborators, problem solvers, and more. With these skills, they will be able to tackle standardized tests and other, more important tasks throughout their lives.

What do you think the Nation's Report Card is telling us about education? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Resources to advance your learner-centered practice

⏪ WEBINAR RECORDING: Reimagining Education Through Innovative School Design. "Leaders from Escondido USD share the transformative process of school redesign to foster learner-centered practices. The discussion highlights how strategic design choices, distributed leadership, and project-based learning can reshape educational ecosystems, emphasizing real-world engagement and student agency." Watch the recording.

🎥 WEBINAR SIGN UP: Leadership Matters: Effective Techniques to be a Learner-Centered Leader. "This session will focus on effective approaches for developing strong leaders who can drive positive change and foster a collaborative culture. Whether you're a seasoned leader or aspiring to take on a leadership role, this webinar will provide valuable insights and tools to help you succeed." Register here.

👩‍💻 Design Performance-Based Assessments. "Learn how to design quality performance-based assessments that showcase student learning authentically and support learners to tell their learning story through portfolios, exhibitions of learning, student-led conferences, and defenses of learning." Start learning here.