“If we don’t agree on what the word ‘proficiency’ means, the word ‘proficiency,’ means nothing at all,” he said. Reeves offered several suggestions for practical steps that schools and districts can take to have a significant impact on student learning, including implementing professional learning communities and giving students multiple opportunities for success.

Victoria Bernhardt of the Education for the Future Initiative and California State University-Chico focused her keynote presentation on using data to improve student learning. Bernhardt discussed multiple measures of data—demographics, perceptions, student learning and school processes—and showed how considering all of these can give a comprehensive picture of a school’s progress in improving student learning.

Anne Davies, an international consultant and author, presented research showing that involving students in self-assessment brings about increased student engagement and learning. Her presentation included video clips of students in many grade levels using the language of assessment to discuss their own work. Davies showed that when students are involved in setting criteria, getting feedback from their peers and presenting evidence of their own learning, the result is true assessment FOR learning.

Conference attendees were able to interact more directly with Bernhardt and Davies during breakout sessions that expanded upon the topics of each keynote address. Douglas Reeves met with participants during a special education policy forum breakfast focusing on his research and the attendees’ own experiences.

Other breakout sessions enabled attendees to participate in discussions related to: formative assessment, computerized adaptive testing, data analysis and appropriate instructional and assessment accommodations. During a two-part session, leaders from a Boston urban pilot school, a rural Vermont school district and a small urban Massachusetts school district discussed their individual challenges and how each set about achieving sustainable improvement.

Based on the response from attendees the Education Leadership Conference was a great success. Speakers were described as “exciting and dynamic,” “relevant,” and “practical, informative, and entertaining.” Attendees were happy to get practicable ideas to bring back to their schools. Breakout sessions were equally well-received; one attendee noted, “I really appreciate the high quality of the workshops,” and another found that, “there was truly something to learn from each presentation.”

“We conceived of the Education Leadership Conference as a way to encourage dialogue between school and district leaders, education experts and our staff,” said Betty Edwards, Measured Progress’s assistant vice president, testing and professional development services. “As an educator, I know that real change in education depends on those conversations,” said Edwards, who is a former middle school teacher and administrator, as well as past assessment director for the Kentucky Department of Education.

While the conference has traditionally taken place in New England, Edwards said Measured Progress plans to expand it to other regions in the future.