CEO Message: Bouncing Ahead 

As we continue our efforts to stabilize learning in our communities, this is the year for all of us to bounce forward to accelerate learning and growth. When I think about what we have endured over the last couple years, it is time for all of us to move forward. We’ve had a full school year since Covid completely disrupted our operations unlike any other time in our history. Although last school year was still different than we had planned, we made it through most of the challenges. Covid forced us to deal with priorities and things like school readiness and culture were not the immediate focus.

This year, we are back to planning ahead and not just dealing with the crisis right in front of us. And as such, it is important for us to recalibrate our thinking about how far we’ve come and what the journey is ahead for students and schools. In order to do that, I think it’s important for us to take stock of where we are and chart the course ahead.

What are you doing well for students? What needs are not being met among your learners and leaders? What assessments have you done to gauge readiness for learning and capacity for growth and continuous improvement?

Dr. Marzano in his podcast conversation on Leader Chat with Dr. Jeff Rose talked about innovative teaching practices that have not been fully explored and lessons learned from previous attempts at practices like Competency Based Education that now have greater potential.

It was Clayton Christenson, who said “Doing the same things that made you successful won’t keep you successful and doing new things is hard work.”

It is vital that we meet every learner where they are at in their journey of learning.  The pandemic impacted every learner in different ways so as we take stock of where each learner is today, let’s do so with a focus on moving forward.

In this edition we invite you to bounce ahead with intention:

1. CEO Message: Bouncing Ahead
2. Back-to-School Readiness: Student Learning Needs and Focus
3. A Gateway to Equitable Learning, High School Graduation, and College Success
4. Leader Chat: Q&A with Robert Marzano, Part 1
5. Leader Chat: Q&A with Robert Marzano, Part 2
6. Accreditation Process Training for School Boards
7. Partnerships: The Next Evolution of Charter Authorizing
8. Suggested Reading

As you move forward with what works for your learners and leaders, we have experts and resources to help you, and fellow educators in the global Cognia network community to help you bounce ahead.

Dr. Mark A. Elgart has served as president and CEO of Cognia since 2002. Under his leadership Cognia was established, following the merger of AdvancED and Measured Progress, to bridge the gap between school evaluation and student assessment.  Cognia serves as the trusted partner with over 36,000 institutions in 85 countries to advance learning for 25 million students.  Elgart has a long, distinguished career of 40 years as an educational leader including time as a math and physics teacher, school principal, and chief executive leading a global, education non-profit.  He is annually recognized, both locally and internationally, as an influential leader in education due to his impact on education policy and the work of schools.  He is an internationally recognized speaker on education and frequent author on educational issues including recent whitepapers on federal policy and school improvement.  In education, Elgart is widely viewed as the foremost authority on school improvement and education quality.  Elgart earned a bachelor’s  in Mathematics from Springfield College, a master’s in Educational Administration from Westfield State College, and Doctorate in Education in Leadership in Schooling from the University of Massachusetts.