Featuring special guest Steve Leinwand.
Join renowned mathematics educator and former NCSM President Steve Leinwand, along with Exemplars CEO Jay Meadows, for a candid and thought-provoking conversation on the current and future state of math assessment. Together, they will explore critical questions such as: Why do we assess math? For whom are we assessing—students, parents, teachers, schools, districts, or states? What do we truly do with the information we collect? And, what are the greatest challenges with the current system of math assessment?
This will serve as the foundation for an engaging exchange about what an ideal—or at least a much stronger and impactful—system of math assessment looks like, and why these changes are essential to meet broader educational and societal needs.
As we challenge traditional assessment models—from classroom-based unit tests to state-mandated assessments to the ACT, SAT, and AP exams—and describe what ideal mathematics assessments could look like, attendees will learn about effective formative assessments and performance-based questions that more closely align with high-quality teaching and rich mathematical understanding.
Steve and Jay will discuss practical steps to overcome current impediments and paint a compelling vision for a more relevant, equitable, and transformative assessment landscape. They will also spotlight an innovative AI-powered tool that demonstrates what’s possible when technology supports teacher judgment and student learning.
Attendees will leave with insights, inspiration, and concrete ideas to catalyze changes in assessment at the classroom, school, and district levels. This edWebinar will be of interest to K-12 teachers, school leaders, district leaders, and education technology leaders.
About the Presenters
Jay Meadows serves as Exemplars’ Chief Executive Officer. He is a former middle school math and science teacher and has been working in education for more than two decades. Jay holds a Master of Arts in teaching from the University of Vermont and a master’s in mathematical pedagogy from Southern New Hampshire University.
Jay is also one of Exemplars’ primary performance task writers and professional development consultants for the middle level. Leading sessions throughout the United States, Jay works with teachers to integrate performance tasks and research-based best practices into their curricula. Through Exemplars, Jay dreams of teaching a generation of students to become powerful problem solvers. Prior to his career in education, Jay coordinated delegations from the former Soviet Union through U.S. State Department grants. Jay has also worked alongside a number of international non-profits and is a former Peace Corps Volunteer.
Steve Leinwand is a Principal Research Analyst at AIR, the American Institutes for Research in Arlington, VA, and has over 40 years of leadership positions in mathematics education. He currently serves as a mathematics expert on a wide range of AIR projects that focus on high-quality mathematics instruction, turning around underperforming schools, improving adult education, evaluating programs, developing assessments, and providing technical assistance for school improvement. Steve co-authored What the United States Can Learn from Singapore’s World-Class Mathematics System (and what Singapore can learn from the United States. He has spoken and written about effectively implementing the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics, differentiated learning, and “What Every School Leader Needs to Know about Making Math Work for All Students.” In addition, Steve has provided school- and district-level support and technical assistance for the General Electric Foundation’s Ensuring Futures in Education project and the Microsoft Math Partnership. As part of AIR’s assessment program, Steve has overseen the development and quality review of multiple-choice and constructed-response items for AIR’s contracts with Ohio, Hawaii, Delaware, Minnesota, South Carolina, and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.
Before joining AIR in 2002, Steve spent 22 years as Mathematics Consultant with the Connecticut Department of Education where he was responsible for the development and oversight of a broad statewide program of activities in K-12 mathematics education including the provision of technical assistance and professional development, the evaluation of Title 1 and K-12 mathematics programs, the assessment of student achievement and teacher competency, and the coordination of statewide mathematics programs and activities. Steve has also served on the NCTM Board of Directors and has been President of the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics.
Steve is an author of several mathematics textbooks and has written numerous articles. His books, Sensible Mathematics: A Guide for School Leaders in the Era of Common Core State Standards and Accessible Mathematics: 10 Instructional Shifts That Raise Student Achievement, were published by Heinemann in 2012 and 2009, respectively. Invigorating High School Math: Practical Guidance for Long-Overdue Transformation, co-written with Eric Milou, was published by Heinemann in 2021. In addition, Steve was the awardee of the 2015 National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics Glenn Gilbert/Ross Taylor National Leadership Award for outstanding contributions to mathematics education and has been awarded the 2021 NCTM Lifetime Achievement Award.
