NWEA Spark Community

Not long ago in SPARK I shared thoughts about the role government should play in education. As 2009 came to an end and we began looking forward to 2010 (and reflecting upon the first year of a new administration), I continue to ponder the ways conversations about education have and will evolve. And while we’ve certainly come a long way since the early days of NCLB, I believe it is still a long and challenging road ahead as we continue seeking to improve our education system.

Here are a few ways I believe we will see conversations about education policy evolve in 2010.

From Compliance to Student Growth as an Outcome

The discussion of proficiency will shift from one of compliance as a means to an end and move towards individual student growth as a means to achieve greater outcomes.

Until now, conversations about education primarily have focused on how we achieve and measure student proficiency as a means to an end: ensuring school compliance and measuring accountability. Measuring student proficiency will always be important but as we progress into the next decade, the conversation is more about measuring proficiency as a means to achieve greater outcomes – such as global competitiveness, an educated workforce and having an engaged community of U.S. citizens.

But what are the results when the focus is on achieving (and measuring) student growth? Some might argue that focusing on improving (and measuring) student academic growth, in addition to proficiency, will help keep those “greater outcomes” in mind.

If we reform our education system to focus on individual student growth and fostering a more “kid-centric” approach to education, then our education system can, and will, become the engine for economic reform, the driver for civic engagement and perhaps the standard for global collaboration.

And perhaps this shift to measuring student learning and progress will evoke a new role for education: one as the foundation for renewing America’s Promise.

Innovating Education

Another prevailing discussion we are seeing is around innovation in education; NWEA is hosting FORWARD 2011 in Charlotte, N.C. in April to help facilitate conversations about how to infuse innovation into our education system and create a system of education that is centered around the child.

In the past, conversations about improving education were focused on incremental, steady progress (such as improving high school graduation rates or closing the achievement gap).

Today, the conversation is much broader, as policymakers, practitioners, the media and educational organizations (like NWEA) discuss what will really provoke the education system to move forward.

Ideas such as:

• Focusing on a kid-centric model of education for all students
• Creating classrooms with a College and Career-Readiness focus. 
• Having a system that supports best practices in teaching. 
• The impact of technology and social media in  21st century education

The Changing Role of the Student in Education: A “Kid-Centric” Approach

In 2010, I believe conversations about education will continue to position a greater emphasis on placing the student at the center of his or her own learning.  At NWEA, we refer a lot to a “kid-centric” approach to education; and our vision, as an organization, is to be a catalyst for this approach.

Commerce in general has moved where there is greater and greater demand for the customization of everything, from furniture to fashion. What can our educational leaders and policymakers learn from this trend? It is a worthwhile exercise to discuss and explore; To ponder the impact of focusing on the student as a consumer and to contemplate how education would evolve if we place the control in the hands of the student and allow her to be a designer of her own education, her own future.

I look forward to participating in these changing conversations with you and welcome and invite your thoughts, concerns and questions. 

About This Author

Charles Merritt currently serves as Vice President of Government Relations for the Northwest Evaluation Association. Charles currently leads NWEA’s efforts to fulfill its mission through public policy. His responsibilities include educating policymakers and other constituents on the benefits of adaptive assessment and importance of differentiated instruction.