COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

INNOVATIVE ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

What is this Community of Practice?

Future Focused Education continues to facilitate the New Mexico Innovative Assessment Community of Practice (CoP) in partnership with the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED). The work of the CoP supports The New Mexico Graduation Equity Initiative (NMGEI).

Together we are defining and piloting a new project-based graduation pathway that culminates with senior exhibitions to demonstrate learning, as an alternative to graduation options that require traditional testing. This option will be made available statewide for Graduation Cohort 2023.

What is The New Mexico Graduation Equity Initiative?

The goal of the New Mexico Graduation Equity Initiative (NMGEI) is to address the education system’s history of structural and inherent racism. New Mexico’s high school students need a more expansive learning and assessment system that honors their cultural and linguistic strengths while providing feedback and other engaging opportunities—allowing students to take ownership of their learning, build strong identities, and see a rich future ahead.

Join Us

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

authentic choice in how they will

ways to develop our students’ unique

standardize children. We must seek out

“We can standardize tests but we can’t

skills and perspectives, and give them

demonstrate their learning.”

Dr. Donna Navarrete

Turnaround Specialist,

Cuba Independent School District

Turnaround Specialist,

Students and staff from Siembra Leadership High School standing on the sidewalk

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

Dr. Donna Navarrete

Cuba Independent School District

Turnaround Specialist,

“We can standardize tests but we can’t

choice in how they will demonstrate

their learning.”

and perspectives, and give them authentic

ways to develop our students’ unique skills

standardize children. We must seek out

WHY WE NEED THIS NOW

The CoP is an outgrowth of PED’s Student Success Task Force which made several high-level recommendations that require a new emphasis on teaching and learning, including:

Ensure assessment practices are culturally responsive
Involve New Mexico educators in the process
Pursue other innovative practices that measure student learning (e.g. performance-based assessments)

In order to get to a place of culturally and linguistically sustainable teaching practices, our work needs to be rooted in building on the assets students bring with them. If this new system is to be accessible to all kids, we need to grow our multiple student pathways to demonstrate their college and career readiness. A new graduation pathway built on innovative assessments that culminate in senior exhibitions is one step toward a more equitable and balanced assessment system in New Mexico.

As we re-imagine assessment in New Mexico, educators should lead the way. Empowering educators to co-create change while providing support and building their capacity are cornerstones of any high-quality initiative in our schools. The CoP will engage educators in learning from one another, reflecting on their own practice, and connecting with local and national expertise as we work together to define and pilot a new project-based graduation pathway for the state.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

community members and educators, and

should be rooted in local communities. We

be based on NMPED’s decisions alone, but

“Any effort at lasting change should not

needed to seek knowledge from local

build from the ground up.”

Dr. Gwen Warniment

New Mexico Public Education Department

Deputy Secretary for Teaching, Learning and Assessment

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

Dr. Gwen Warniment,

New Mexico Public Education Department

Deputy Secretary for Teaching, Learning and Assessment

“Any effort at lasting change should not

community members and educators,

and build from the ground up.”

needed to seek knowledge from local

should be rooted in local communities. We

be based on NMPED’s decisions alone, but

How it works

CoP members will define a problem of practice that is specific to their school or district in implementing capstone assessments and will receive support and data to successfully implement capstone assessments. Community of Practice members who complete the process and learning targets will receive an assessment waiver for the 2021-2022 school year to offer capstones as an option for graduates to meet the demonstration of competency requirement.

Meeting schedule:

Community of Practice members will engage in monthly, hybrid meetings to include regional in-person meetings with other CoP members, monthly hour-long online meetings, as well as other learning opportunities.

Monthly: Online meeting and learning targets
Quarterly:
- Host/participate in-person half-day Problem of Practice inter-visitation for your assigned Regional Cohort
- Online focused content sessions
Each Semester: Whole CoP participant event

LEAs join at one of three participation tiers:

Tier 3 (Open throughout the year)
Assessment Literacy Pathway

Flexible Participation

No required team
Optional attendance at CoP sessions
No assigned work between meetings
Goal: Grow your assessment literacy
Not expected to pilot a senior exhibition program at this time

Tier 2
Incremental Pathway

Moderate Participation

Name a multi-role team of up to six members representing different levels in the LEA, including at least one teacher
Attend at least 80% of CoP sessions over two years as relevant to your project focus and stage of implementation
Enjoy longer action periods (i.e., you will have more time to complete assignments)
Pilot a new or improved senior exhibition program in the 2022-23 school year
Collectively develop guidelines for a senior exhibition graduation option to be made available statewide for 2022 graduates

Tier 1
Acceleration Pathway

Highest Level of Participation

Name a multi-role team of up to six members representing different levels in the LEA, including at least one teacher
Attend 80-90% of CoP sessions
Follow through quickly on actions (i.e., complete assignments between sessions)
Collectively develop guidelines for a senior exhibition graduation option to be made available statewide for 2022 graduates

How to join

Applications for membership are now open. Tier 1 and 2 must apply by September 27. Please click the button below to fill out the preliminary form.

For questions, contact lisa@futurefocusededucation.org.

Application Form

MEET THE TEAM

Kelsey Baun, MBA

Social Impact Independent Consultant

Kelsey blends experience working in secondary and higher ed, organizing education reform, and establishing workforce development and economic resiliency initiatives. Kelsey offers CoP expertise in facilitation, design thinking, and program management.

Email Kelsey

Lisa Martinez

Director of Learning by Doing,
Future Focused Education

Lisa has been a New Mexican educator for the last 13 years, is interested in holistic assessments for emerging bilinguals and is designing the Community of Practice for Educators.

Email Lisa

Paul Leather

Director of the Interstate Learning Community for the Center for Innovation in Education

Paul brings expertise in implementing statewide initiatives, education policy reform, and mastery of competency-and-performance based assessments.

Email Paul