Measures that Matter Most

How Do Next Generation Educators Measure Success?

We support educators with big ideas.

We call the big ideas Next Generation Learning because we believe these ideas might finally deliver an educational system that works for all children.

After three years of funding next generation learning, we decided to ask our educators how they go about measuring the success of their big ideas.

This is their story.

Treading New Ground

We are Next Generation Learning Challenges and we represent some of the nation’s most innovative school models across both the charter and district sectors. This report marks the first time we’ve asked our network of innovators to lend their voice to a critical set of questions: how should we go about measuring the success of an educational innovation? What measures matter most?

We hope that the voices and stories of educators featured here will influence the key decision-makers in education. All too often, we find decisions are being made without consulting those on the front lines.

What is Next Generation Learning?

What exactly are we talking about when we say next generation learning? Next generation learning encompasses a diverse set of approaches and is driven by richer, deeper definitions of student success. Popular ideas include:

Personalized Learning / Approaches that individualize learning for each student based on specific strengths and needs, student interests, and/or individualized goals. Source: Next Generation Learning Challenges

Competency-Based Education / Approaches that allow students to advance along a learning continuum based on mastery of a given content, rather than based on credits or seat time. Source: CompetencyWorks

Deeper Learning / Approaches that enable critical thinking and problem-solving, effective communication, collaboration and self-directed learning. Source: The Hewlett Foundation

Blended Learning / Approaches that employ online, adaptive curricula and other technology to enable flexibility in time, place, path, and pace. Source: The Clayton Christensen Institute

Student-Centered Learning / Approaches that enable students to exert control over their own learning; are competency-based, personalized, and take place anytime and anywhere. Source: Students at the Center Hub

Contents

• Educators with Big Ideas
• Measures That Matter
• Tools for Measuring Success
• Get Involved
• Our Story

Additional Resources

How Next Generation Schools Define Success

We also asked next generation educators how they define success for their students and schools, how they measure that success, and how they share their progress toward success with students, families, and others. This report summarizes what leading educators in public school redesign say today’s kids need to know and be able to do, and how they know whether their students are learning it.

The Full Spectrum of Evidence Toolkit

NGLC’s Full Spectrum of Evidence Toolkit helps schools and districts navigate complex student-centered innovation decisions and evaluate program success by centering student voices. Access resources and strategies to center students in your measurement and decision-making.