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.
Additionally, 2021-2022 is the inaugural year of the Educator Community of Practice, which is designed for educators who are practicing capstone teachers and their students who are engaged in the Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR).
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.
WHY WE NEED THIS NOW
- 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.
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:
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.
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.
Lisa Martinez
Director of Learning by Doing, Future Focused Education
Paul Leather
Director of the Interstate Learning Community for the Center for Innovation in Education
Members
The CoP began in early 2020 with 14 founding members and grew to 22 LEAs.
The current CoP is comprised of districts and charters including: ACE Leadership High School, Amy Biehl High School, Belen High School, Bloomfield School District, Chama Schools, Cuba Independent School District, Deming Public Schools, Dora Consolidated Schools, Farmington Municipal Schools, Gadsden Independent School District, Health Leadership High School, La Academia de Esperanza Charter School, Las Cruces Public Schools, The MASTERS Program, NACA Inspired Schools, Rio Rancho Public Schools, Roswell Independent School District, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Public Schools, Siembra Leadership High School, South Valley Academy, Tech Leadership High School, Vista Grande HS, Zuni Public Schools.
Community of Practice Members
*asterisk denotes active member
Resources
- Remodeling Our System of Assessments in New Mexico - Future Focused Education, 2018
- Central New Mexico Graduate Profile and User Guide - Mission: Graduate, 2017
- Portfolio and Capstone Guidebook - Colorado Dept of Education, 2014
- New Mexico State Assessment System: Recommendations - NM Student Success Task Force and Center for Assessment, 2019
- Local Demonstrations of Competency ← examples of local demonstrations from LEAs
- FFE LDC Resources ← tips and a rubric for taking a competency based approach
- Remote Learning Could be a Good Time for a Capstone Project - Getting Smart
- Virtual Portfolio Defense Toolkit from What Teachers in China Have Learned in the Past Month - Envision Learning
- Virtual Defense Webinar Recording - Envisions
- Capstone for Transition Planning - Future Focused Education
- Without the Big Standardized Test - Forbes
Check back for additional resources as we learn together.