Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF)

What if assessment went beyond measuring content knowledge, but also included the strengths and skills students have to power their learning everywhere it happens–in the classroom, at home, and in their community? This vision was discussed in depth in a recent EdSurge webinar featuring Dr. Temple Lovelace, executive director of Assessment for Good, a program of Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF), alongside Dr. Patrick Kyllonen of ETS, Dr. Candace Thille of Stanford University Graduate School of Education, and Eugene So of Jobs for the Future (JFF). The panel of experts discussed how to make assessment more inclusive and meaningful for all learners. In the webinar, Temple shared Assessment For Good’s vision for assessment that captures student learning as it’s happening. With this approach, we can measure the skills students are using to learn–like perseverance and confidence–as well as the content they’re learning. Assessment for Good, alongside learners, caregivers, and educators, is working to make such assessment tools possible! As educators and researchers, we have the power to design a better assessment process that enables learners to be the architects of their learning. Watch the full webinar and dive deeper into the discussion: https://lnkd.in/g6pnMfQE

Since at least the 1990s, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data has shown low rates of reading proficiency among 4th and 8th grade students. Though many educators have tried instructional interventions to support their students, older students are still struggling to read proficiently. So, what's missing? ?? New research by Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) and ETS points to an overlooked phenomenon preventing older students from reading and comprehending grade-level texts: the decoding threshold. Decoding is a foundational literacy skill that describes how readers identify words and understand their meanings. When we sound words out or break them into smaller parts, we are using our decoding skills. The decoding threshold is a critical level of decoding skill needed to read and understand grade-level text. The report, "The Decoding Threshold: Measuring the Roots of Older Students' Reading Difficulties," builds on findings from a 2019 study and confirms that students in grades 3-12 whose decoding skills weren't sufficient enough to decode grade-level text had slower progress in key reading skills like vocabulary, sentence processing, and reading comprehension. This new study furthers the urgency to reconsider how we approach both explicit foundational literacy skills instruction and assessment for older students. AERDF’s program, Reading Reimagined, is investigating and co-designing solutions that will help end illiteracy, so all learners have the opportunity to be confident, proficient readers!

Findings from OECD - OCDE’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2022 have revealed that self-directed learning, like asking questions and explaining how you solve a problem, can have long-term effects on student outcomes. “I’m excited about the fact that PISA is bringing this conversation forward for us,” said Temple Lovelace, executive director of Assessment for Good, a program of Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF). “There are a host of skills that power learning in math, outside of students’ content knowledge,” she continued. A student’s learning experience is about more than just mastering subject content. It also involves building confidence, self-awareness, and motivation as they encounter exciting and challenging opportunities. Assessment for Good is working to identify a core set of skills that power learning for all students, within and beyond the classroom. Read more about how empowering students to drive their own learning is essential to student success at Education Week: https://lnkd.in/gcKxrAKZ?

Traditionally, instruction on foundational literacy skills focuses on the youngest students–typically Pre-K through third grade. Then it stops. But upper elementary and middle school teachers know their students are struggling to read grade-level texts, and they don’t have the resources they need to help. According to a 2024 report by RAND, 75% of teachers in grades 3–8 say that they need access to more resources to identify and support students with reading difficulties. Rebecca Sutherland, associate director of research of Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF)'s program, Reading Reimagined, and Anna Shapiro, associate policy researcher at RAND Corporation, discuss the report, its findings, and implications on the Literacy View. ?? Listen to their conversation with Faith Borkowsky and Judy Boksner on the Literacy View podcast: Podcast https://lnkd.in/gY8DpiYD YouTube https://lnkd.in/gT9r4NQE

Our CEO, Auditi Chakravarty, spoke with Alex Sarlin at Edtech Insiders to share why Advanced Inclusive R&D matters in #edtech. Auditi shared how our programs—Assessment for Good, EF+Math, and Reading Reimagined—are driving real impact through inclusive, evidence-based research where educators and learners co-design more effective education tools that deliver results. She also explained the importance of breaking down silos between research, practice, and product development, and how a robust funding ecosystem can foster innovation and risk-taking across those fields. Listen to the episode here: https://lnkd.in/gnNVy9Mj

Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) is at SEL Exchange, hosted by CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning), this week in Chicago! Our Chief of Program Strategy and Innovation, Sasha Rabkin, is one of the presenters for the breakout session, “Rooted in Community: Developing Equitable Approaches to Assessment,” happening on November 13 at 1:15 pm. When you join the session, you’ll learn about efforts to advance assessment practices that are rooted in community goals and that provide data that go beyond individual student outcomes and instead towards a holistic, contextualized picture of schools and the student, family, and community experience. Join us and take part in the movement to accelerate student engagement and achievement to ensure every learner thrives! https://lnkd.in/gjFEUk2Z

This year CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning)’s SEL Exchange is showcasing the latest innovations and evidence for advancing social & emotional learning (SEL) in support of every students’ academic thriving and lifelong learning. We invite all attendees to join Lauren D. Kendall Brooks, PhD, a research scientist with Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF)’s program, Assessment for Good, who will help lead a breakout session titled, “The New SEL Handbook: Advancing Equity For, With, and Through SEL.” Join Dr. Kendall Brooks and fellow expert contributors on Wednesday, November 13 at 3:15 pm to get an inside look at four chapters they have written for the upcoming 2nd Handbook of SEL. Attendees will learn about: - a framework for SEL and equity - systemic SEL and school discipline practices - equitable and culturally responsive SEL assessment practices, and? - school climate applications We look forward to sharing the evidence-backed insights and innovations Assessment for Good has been working on to reimagine formative assessments that measure and value the academic, emotional and social wellbeing of all students—particularly Black and Latinx students. https://lnkd.in/gjFEUk2Z?

It’s no surprise that a quarter of fifth graders still struggle with reading—but now we have a clearer understanding of WHY. In a new joint report, ETS scientists Zuowei Wang, PhD, Tenaha O’Reilly and Rebecca Sutherland (AERDF) confirmed that the decoding threshold is a major factor contributing to this gap. ?? Decoding threshold is the level at which students can recognize words accurately and quickly enough to focus on understanding the text. ??This report further proves the effectiveness of ReadBasix?, an ETS assessment tool, in helping teachers identify students struggling with decoding. ?? Why it matters: When teachers can identify decoding challenges early, they can give students the right support—helping every child succeed. ?? A big thank you to our partners at Reading Reimagined at Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) for helping bring these insights to life! Read the report here: https://bit.ly/3Cd3oUc #Reading #K12 #ETSResearch #ReadingComprehension

Join EF+Math at #PMENA 2024! Don't miss the exciting session on executive functions in mathematics education led by Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF)'s EF+Math: "Equitable and Dynamic Approaches to Assessing Executive Functions in the Mathematics Context" ?? Sunday, November 10th ? 10:20 AM ET ?? Cleveland, Ohio Presenters: Megan Brunner, PhD Rebecca Merkley, PhD Stephen J. Hutt The EF+Math team will share several innovative approaches that assess students’ executive functions during mathematical learning. The approaches aim to provide data that is useful and usable for both teachers - to inform their practice - and researchers - to answer research questions about EFs and math learning. We are looking forward to engaging with fellow researchers and educators at PME-NA 2024! https://lnkd.in/eB57569Y

Powering the future of education requires a sustainable and collaborative ecosystem of research and development, philanthropy, science and technology, policymakers, and education experts—educators, learners, and caregivers included! This past September, The Study Group and Eric Tucker hosted the Advancing Artificial Intelligence, Measurement and Assessment System Innovation Summit, an important step towards creating crucial touchpoints across sectors. Our CEO, Auditi Chakravarty, joined an incredible mix of over 120 senior leaders from philanthropy, federal policy, statehouses, classrooms, scientific communities, and research and development fields. We exchanged knowledge and envisioned the ways measurement, data, and AI will shape the future of learning and teaching. Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) is proud to be among the leaders addressing and championing high-impact approaches to data, AI, measurement and assessment, and Advanced R&D. We believe AI has the potential to be an accelerant by making our work more efficient and easier. Each of our three current programs—Reading Reimagined, Assessment for Good, and EF+Math—have investigated ways that AI can be an accelerant for good. Whether in assessment or individualized instruction, it's clear AI can play a supporting role alongside educators and other caring adults in advancing education and equity.