Assessment

At this point in the school year, with so much time and energy already invested and so much left to do, it can be challenging to keep teachers and students alike highly engaged. This is especially true today, as we emerge from a pandemic and feel the weight of our challenges even more.

Haley Vogel, EdD, is assistant principal at Pine Island Academy in St. Johns County, Florida. Her more than 20 years of experience in education includes six years as a school leader and 13 years teaching. She is passionate about working with teacher teams to rethink assessment.

Closing student achievement gaps requires specific actions focused on acceleration and leveling up strategies to achieve grade-level proficiency or beyond. Acceleration is the pathway; we cannot continue to go backward if our goal is to move forward. Discover how to erase inequities in student learning while building hope and confidence in both teachers and students. This is equity in action.

Logan Heflebower has been coaching baseball since his collegiate playing career came to a close in 2019. He is the infield coach at Division II, Colorado Christian University, in Lakewood.

Brad Cawn is a teacher educator, author, researcher, and trainer who specializes in helping schools and teachers integrate ambitious teaching and learning—inquiry-based instruction, disciplinary literacy, project-based learning, etc.—across the content areas.

Jonathan G. Vander Els specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in schools and districts across the country in developing, sustaining, and enhancing structures to support all learners.

Many articles, blogs, books, podcasts, and webinars have been written and shared for the purpose of reiterating the need to close student achievement gaps. And yet, the process and progress in closing the gaps has been out of reach.

Kirk Savage, EdD, is an assistant superintendent for Chilliwack School District in British Columbia, Canada, where he has been working as a senior leadership team member since 2012.

Jonathan Ferris is a program coordinator at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, British Columbia, where he oversees practicum placements for teacher candidates, supervises faculty mentors, and teaches courses on classroom management, professionalism, ethics, and teacher presence.

Bri Crook most recently served as the instructional coach at Baxter Elementary in Baxter, Iowa. She has several years of experience in education at the elementary level and district level, also serving as the technology director.