Agenda

Registration Desk Open 8:00 am – 10:30 am

We strongly recommend arriving early to complete your check-in at our registration desk, located on the third floor in the Celestin Foyer. Early check-in helps you avoid long lines and ensures you won’t miss any opening sessions.

From Vision to Action: Leveraging Community for Competency-Based Transformation

Mastery Transcript Consortium®

Join the Mastery Transcript Consortium for a dynamic, practitioner-centered conference dedicated to advancing your journey to competency-based learning. At this year’s forum, innovative schools will share real-world stories, problems of practice, and breakthrough successes in competency-based learning. Bring a team of 3-5 key people to dive into hands-on workshops, get personalized consulting, and master MTC’s tools. 

Whether starting fresh, refining your approach, or exploring higher ed alignment, this one-day event will showcase how a Portrait of a Graduate can be a tool for school-wide transformation.

• Master MTC’s powerful tracking tools to showcase student competencies with impact
• Connect with peer schools at all implementation stages to solve real challenges together
• Discover how competency-based education opens doors to college and career pathways
• Get the college admissions’ perspective on how MTC tools create standout applicant profiles
• Leave with actionable strategies to accelerate your competency work immediately

Mastery Transcript Consortium® (MTC), an ETS company, is a national and global nonprofit membership organization that helps make mastery learning—or competency-based education—available to all learners. MTC accelerates equitable access to and widespread implementation of mastery learning models, empowering students to showcase competencies and share evidence of their learning.

Breaking up with Grades: Shifting Mindsets toward Competency-Based Assessment and Reporting to Improve Learning 

Katie Martin, Chief Impact Officer, Learner-Centered Collaborative, Devin Vodicka, CEO, Learner-Centered Collaborative, Kate Weisberg, Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships, Learner-Centered Collaborative

A competency-based paradigm offers a promising shift from traditional letter grades to a system that values students’ strengths and growth over time. Making this shift requires more than just new systems—it demands a process of “unlearning” ingrained beliefs and practices. This new paradigm calls for educators and leaders who deeply understand the shifts and can compellingly communicate them. This session will make visible the alternative: a competency-based approach, by looking at models of assessment and reporting structures from schools and networks including Big Picture Learning, Mastery Transcript Consortium, One Stone, Bostonia Global, and Spring Lake Park Public Schools. Participants will develop a personal assessment philosophy and prepare for conversations about assessment and grading beliefs and practices. This workshop is designed for all educators and leaders who are interested in reimagining assessment, grading, and reporting in their context. 

Learning Outcomes: 

1. Content Expertise: Participants will gain content area knowledge about grading and competency-based assessment
2. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Participants will examine challenges with current grading practices and analyze different solutions that many schools are currently to work towards solving this problem
3. Effective Communication: Participants will work on their storytelling and communication skills as they practice ways to bring others into these complex conversations

Registration Desk Open 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

We strongly recommend arriving early to complete your check-in at our registration desk, located on the third floor in the Celestin Foyer. Early check-in helps you avoid long lines and ensures you won’t miss any opening sessions.

Registration Desk Open 7:30 am – 7:30 pm 

The registration desk is located on the 3rd floor in the Celestin Foyer.

Building A Student-Centered High School Ecosystem – State Policy Roundtable

Lauren Bloomquist, Education Commission of the States; Ben Erwin, CCSSO; Jennifer Kabaker, FullScale

From Awareness to Action: Building Culturally Responsive Systems for Impactful Leadership and Learning

Karla Vigil, Equity Institute; Maureen Sigler, MKS Education Partners

From Compliance to Commitment: Leading Change that Cultivates and Sustains Student-Centered Learning

Brian M. Stack, Jonathan G. Vander Els, V & S School Solutions

Pedagogies of Voice (PoV) Fundamentals Workshop 

Marlo Bagsik, Co-author of Pedagogies of Voice: Street Data and the Path to Student Agency 

Researchers Roundtable: Informing and Improving Personalized, Competency-Based, Deeper Learning

Beth Holland, Dr. Jilliam Joe, FullScale

Transformational Learning Principles Meet AI in Learning Design

Jessica Garner, Joseph South, ISTE+ASCD

The Illumination Hub is located on the 3rd floor in Storyville Hall.

More Than a Seat at the Table: A Conversation with Learners on Agency, Voice, and Choice

Facilitator: William Hite, EdD, CEO and President, KnowledgeWorks

In this inspiring conversation, you’ll hear directly from young people across the country who have lived the learner-centered experience. They’ll share what it feels like to be truly  empowered in their learning—and what happens when school becomes a place where they can grow as thinkers, leaders, and human beings.

Their stories remind us what’s possible when we stop doing school to students and start co-creating it with them. Come ready to listen, learn, and be moved.

SPONSOR SESSION: Aligning Beliefs and Practice: Building the Foundation for a Standards-Based System

Rebecca Brown, JumpRope; Amber Fields, Laura Kintz, Tigard-Tualatin School District

SPONSOR SESSION: Expanding Access: Reimagining Flexible Learning Models in Public Education

Nadiyah Morris, Camelback Ventures; Lisa María Rhodes, ALAS; Dr. Chandra Sledge Mathias, Sledge Institute; Shiren Rattigan, Colossal Academy Online

SPONSOR SESSION: Future-Ready Learning: Unlocking Competency-Based Transcripts in New York City

Alan Cheng, New York City CIOB District, NYC DOE; Evan O’Connell, A School Without Walls NYC; Susan Bell, Mastery Transcript Consortium, ETS

EdRIsing: Stories of Transformation from New Zealand

Derek Wenmoth, FutureMakers

Fueling the Future: State and Local Education R&D as a Catalyst for Learner-Centered Transformation

Thomas Lambert, Louisiana Department of Education; Margo Roen, Imagine Network; Sarah Bishop-Root, Education Reimagined; Gabby Sierra, Aldine Independent School District

From Barriers to Solutions: Proposing, Advocating for, and Making Legislative Change

Lucy Payne, EngageMN, Univ. of St Thomas; Mary Frances Clardy, MN House of Representatives; Aqueelah Roberson, Education Evolving; Jonathan Alfuth, KnowledgeWorks

From Bold Vision to Breakthrough: How Lindsay Unified and Southern Berkshire Are Transforming Schools Through Community-Driven Innovation

Nikolaus Namba, Jane Bryson, Holly Reardon, Transcend; Cinnamon Scheufele, Lindsay Unified School District; Beth Regulbuto, Southern Berkshire Regional School District

From Grassroots to Harvesting Class Roots: How Teachers are Driving Transformative Change Through Innovation

Toni Rose Deanon, Modern Classrooms Project; Cecelia Gillam, Benjamin Franklin High School; Dana Kravchick, Wavio; Cory Henwood, Iron County School District

Grading for Equity Book Talk: Burning Questions and Practical Responses 

Joe Feldman, Crescendo Education Group

How Schools Can Impact Students’ Futures through the Development of their Durable Skills

Dr. Chris Unger, Northeastern University; Dr. Michael Crawford, America Succeeds

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Leveling Up Work-Based Learning: How ImBlaze Transforms Student Experience & Equity

David Berg, ImBlaze

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Marzano Resources: Turning Research Into Practice for Competency-Based Education

Gina Oden, Marzano Resources

Reclaiming Assessment Through Youth Expertise and Experiences: Early Findings

Jilliam Joe, FullScale; Gregory Seaton, Analytic Enterprises; Parisia Hutchinson, Howard University

Scaling What Works: Lessons from the Accelerating Adoption Network

Dr. Megan Benay, FullScale; Jeff Imrich, Rock by Rock; Stephanie Cardella, LEAP Innovations; Sandra Moumoutjis, Building 21; Coi Morefield, The Lab School of Memphis

Transforming School Systems for Immigrant Youth: Policies and Practices for Equitable College Access

Jon Harriman, Nedda de Castro, Internationals Network for Public Schools

Unlocking Algebra: What the Data Tells Us About Student Support Strategies

Adam Maier, TNTP; Joel Rose; New Classrooms

FRAMEWORK PALOOZA – COLLABORATIVE ROUNDTABLES

Assessing Our Portraits: Measuring and Recognizing Student Growth on Portrait Competencies

Kelly Mills, Digital Promise Global; Katie Wilczak, Pearson

From Theory to Practice: Building Competency-Based Learner-Centered Classrooms

Christy Kingham, Springpoint; Jessica Waters, Nowell Leadership Academy

Leading Systemic Innovation with EDGE x IMPACT™: A Studio for Student-Centered Change

Matthew Callison, South Fayette Township School District

Six Learning Design Principles to Help Achieve Personalized Instruction at Scale, No Matter the Solution

Jayne Lammers, Edmentum

SONSOR SESSION: Why You need a Framework for the Future to Accelerate your Competency-Based Work

Learner-Centered Collaborative

Creating Personalized Pathways with Competency-Based Education

Jonathan Alfuth, KnowledgeWorks; Michael Crawford, America Succeeds; Brenna Bartlett, Advance CTE

Curriculum, Meet Competency: Unlocking Performance Assessment in Adopted Curricula

Justin Wells, Jillian Juman, Envision Education

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Reimagining Teaching in Math and ELA: Using AI to Build Capacity and Impact

Rizwaan Malik, Gautam Thapar, Teaching Lab Studio

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: We’re 19. We know how Gen Z learns.

Ritam Rana, Knowlify

Inclusive Practices for Supporting Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

Robin Thoma, IL SLD Support Project

Measuring What Matters: Designing Performance-Based Assessments for Rigor and Relevance

Sandra Moumoutjis, Ayris Sanders, Heather Harlen, Building 21; Sydney Schaef, CBL Partners

New York at the Vanguard: an Insider Perspective on the Statewide Shift to Performance Based Learning and Assessment Networks

Natalle Ferrell, Dena Ferreira, Robert Gulya, South Bronx Community Charter High School

Portrait of a Leader: Strengthening Skills and Professional Practice for Lasting Systems Change

Laura Hilger, KnowledgeWorks; Brenda Martin, Westminster Public Schools; Briana Morales, East St. Louis District 189; Laura Jeanne Penrod, Clark County School District

Rooted in the Bluegrass: How Local Accountability Models Are Redefining Success in Kentucky Schools

Karen Perry, University of Kentucky; April Craft, Allen County Schools; Adam Hicks, Shelby County Schools; Doannie Tran, Center for Innovation in Education (C!E)

Schools With New Blueprints for Career and Life Readiness

Andrew Vega, NewSchools Venture Fund; Monica White, Elevate Academy; Nicole Mosley, McClure Health Science High School

Screen-free Emerging Tech for Early Learning Assessment: A Hands-on Exploration 

Keun-woo Lee, Kelly Mills, Tiffany Leones, Digital Promise

Student-Centered Learning in Washington through the Mastery-based Learning Collaborative: Policy, Practice, and the Path to Sustainable MBL Implementation

Alissa Muller, Seema Bahl, Washington State Board of Education; Kate Gardoqui, Great Schools Partnership

The International Big Picture Learning Credential: Measuring How Every Student is Smart

Andrea Purcell; Big Picture Learning

Unsilencing Students’ Languages: Creating an Ecology of Equitable and Transformational Student-Centered Schooling

Francisca Sánchez, Liliana Sánchez, Scaling Student Success

Changing Course through Student Voice: The Impact of the BSU Network in CCSD

Yvette Williams, BSU Network; Sam Scavella, Clark County School District

Efficacy in Action: Collaborative Problem-Solving for Learner-Centered Success

Zak Lenski, i4PL

From Control to Collaboration: Building a Connected School Community Through Empathy and Collaboration

Jill McPherson, Elementary School Teacher

From Policy to Practice: How North Dakota is Building Public Will for a Mastery-Based Learning System

Ann Ellefson, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction

Guidebook for the People: Restorative Practices for Systems Change

Nicodemus Ford, LLC

No More Empty Gestures: Amplifying Student Voice Through Feedback Loops and Collaboration

Kate Babineau, Digital Promise

Ready, Set, Play!

Bridget Yoko, Aaryn Drapiza, The Village School

Supporting the Whole Student: Building Equitable Career Pathways through Internships in Title I Schools

Candace Eaton, Shingirai Middelmann, Claire Norwood, Jason Weinberg, The Workshop School

SPONSOR SESSION: Braiding Public and Private Funding to Support the Braiding of Core Academics and Competency-Based Education

Craig Larrabee, Kim Acker Lipp, GenUS

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Beacon Learning: When your vision is bold, your LMS should be too.

Thomas Gaffey, Building 21

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Competency-Based Records and Assessments: A 360-Degree View

Jason Cummings, Mastery Transcript Consortium

Elevating Student Voice in School Change through a Student Summit Experience

Matthew Pilarski, Xochitl Garcia, The Learning Agenda; Michael Cotto, Edeni Rivera-Colon, Wilfred Rodriguez Ortiz, Aiden Robinson, Holyoke High School

Embracing CBE to Transform a School and Evolve a District

John McMorris, Soledad Arteaga, Keith Aguilar, Sem Yeto High School

Empowering Youth Leadership through Intergenerational Change Movements 

Lucy Payne, EngageMN/University of St. Thomas; Jose Perez, Good Trouble

Leveraging Family Engagement through Immersive Technology for Deeper Learning

Becky Goetzinger, National Center for Families Learning; Kara Mason, BrainSTEM; Ramona Chandler, Jefferson County Public Schools

Lighting The Way: A Student-Led Journey to Competency-Based Learning

Shane Ogden, Park County School District #16; Bethany Bernasconi, 2Revolutions; Clayton Yoder, Johnathan Ogden, Steely Faust, Hailey Christopherson, Brielle Ogden, Aftyn Grant, Meeteetse School

Moving from Vision to Implementation: CompetencyWorks 2.0

Ashley Fellows, Beth Holland, FullScale

Ready for the Future of Work: Using Competencies to Build Strong Connections between School and the Careers We Can’t Imagine

Antonia Rudenstine, reDesign; Lee Green, Floyd D. Johnson Technology Center/York 1 District; Nick Martino, Jobs for America’s Graduates; Tony Donen, Hamilton County Schools

Redesigning High School for Relationship-Centered, Equitable, and Community-Engaged Learning

Charlie Thompson, Cheryl Jones-Walker, Barnett Berry, Learning Policy Institute

Redesigning Learning Through the Next Education Workforce: Team-Based Models in College and Career Academies

Lennon Audrain, Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation; Marlo Loria, Jennifer Echols, Mesa Public Schools

So You Think You Can Start a Competency-Based School? What It Really Takes to Design and Launch a PCBE Model—Insights from Leaders and Coaches?

Sandra Moumoutjis, Ayris Sanders, Laura Shubilla, Building 21; Dr. Chandra Sledge Mathias, Sledge Institute; Thaddeus McCalister, Pathway Academy

The Third Horizon: A Future-Ready Learning Ecosystem for Fully Realizing the Promise of CBE

Babak Mostaghimi, LearnerStudio

Empowering Educators, Empowering Students: Building Sustainable, Student-Centered Learning Environments that Support Students AND Educators

Steve Sell, Carolina Artacho Guerra, Avia Ferrande, Map Academy

Empowering Learners: Digital Portfolios as Catalysts for Equity and Agency in Competency-Based Education

Starr Sackstein, Mastery Portfolio; Sierra Holtzheuser, SpacesEDU by myBlueprint

Focus Group: Help Shape a New Career-Connected Learning Resource Hub!

Liz Texeira, Caroline Healy, American Student Assistance

Math Empowerment Through Standards-Based Grading

Steven Kramer, John Baker, The 21st Century Partnership for STEM Education

Personal Interest Projects: A Path to Purpose and Engagement in the Age of AI

Elizabeth Radday, EdAdvance

Sowing Seeds of Sustainability: Empathy-Based Education for Early Childhood

Tanika Kapa, The John Cooper School

The North Dakota Network: Strengthening Educators, Building Collective Efficacy

David St Peter, Bismarck Public Schools; Ann Ellefson, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction; Lori Phillips, North Dakota Personalized Learning Network; Joel Schleicher, University of North Dakota

Pop-Up Demo: Unrulr

How Educators are Leveraging Playlab to Build AI to Meet their Needs

Wyman Khuu, Playlab

Join us for a celebration of love, care, and vulnerability through storytelling. Advanced registration is required.

Storytellers: Dr. Leona Tate, Jillian Juman, and Danny Rojas

Agency Inspired Classrooms – What a Difference It Makes

Derek Wenmoth, Futuremakers; Annette Thompson, Inquire Innovation; Shelly Poage, Springdale School District; George Edwards, New England Association of Schools and Colleges; Claudette Trujillo, Dillon Lynch, Dylan Shelofksy, Kelley Layton, Metropolitan Arts Academy, Westminster Public Schools

Beyond the Resume and College App: How Cañon City Empowers Learners to Document, Reflect, and Own Their Journey

Bill Summers, Madison Tortessi, Cañon City High School; Aaron Schorn, Unrulr

Culture Meets Curiosity: Using Diverse Stories to Spark STEAM Exploration

Teresa Grande, Cicely Hanner, Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School

Driving Student Success with Durable Skills & Learning-Mindsets: How Uncommon Schools Uses Assessment Data to Elevate Achievement, Wellbeing, and Postsecondary Readiness

Patrick Rametti, Uncommon Schools; Monique Calderon Dotson, Motivate Lab; Briana Anderson, nXu

Igniting Innovation in Public Schools: The Transformative Power of Microschools

Victoria Andrews, Getting Smart; Deborah Gist, Transcend & The University of Tulsa; Katie Martin, Learner-Centered Collaborative; George Philhower, Eastern Hancock School; Megan Hanley, ASU Preparatory Academy

Seeing Strengths First: Reimagining How to Support Youth With Learning Differences

Khara Schonfeld-Karan, Sarah Bishop-Root, Education Reimagined; Kristofer Koneazny, Norris School District

Strategic Implementation of Portrait/Profile of a Learner 

Ryan Asher, Susan Tracy, Scott Hundley, Woodford County Public Schools

The Future of Student Success: Why a Portrait of a Learner should be part of your strategic plan and how to bring it to life

Sierra Holtzheuser, SpacesEDU by myBlueprint; Abby Benedetto, Core Shifts; Michael Crawford, Ph.D., America Succeeds

The Kids Are Gonna Be Alright! How School Communities are Systematically Improving Social-Emotional & Academic Development (SEAD) in a New Era of Learning Design

Malika Ali, Throughline Learning

Transformative Learning: Building Equitable Systems Through UDL-Centered SEL and Competency Approaches

Melissa Sanjeh, CAST; DeShanna Reed, Consulting & Advocacy, LLC; Sherann Alkins, ABCD University High

What We’ve Been Missing: How Insights From Neuroscience Can Unlock Competency-based Learning for All

Sydney Schaef, CBL Partners

What’s Working, What’s Next: Lessons from Mesa’s Learning Redesign

Hector Estrada, Jennifer Echols, Mesa Public Schools; Theresa Ewald, The Institute for Personalized Learning; Dr. Andi Fourlis, Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy – Northern Arizona University

Can We Trust the Transcript? Building More Equitable Grading Practices as an Entry Point for Competency-Based Education

Joe Feldman, Alan Chang, Jill Gurtner, Dr. Patel, and Rae Li

Grades intend to communicate what students have learned, either allowing or prohibiting opportunities for them, but how can we ensure their grades are accurate and fair? A recent study of over 33,000 middle school and high school grades, “Can We Trust the Transcript? Recognizing Student Potential Through More Accurate Grading” shows the inaccuracy and inequity of common grading practices in ways that both hide and misrepresent student readiness. In this keynote panel, Joe Feldman, author and leading expert on equitable grading, will moderate a conversation with learning communities that have improved grading, and explore how that work is leveraging and accelerating larger transformations toward competency-based education. 

SPONSOR SESSION: Build your Own Educational AI: From Problem to Solution in an Hour

Wyman Khuu, Hilah Barbot, Playlab

SPONSOR SESSION: Skills for the Future: Looking Back to Launch Forward

Susan Bell, Mastery Transcript Consortium, ETS; Danielle Eisenberg, ETS

SPONSOR SESSION: The Future of Personalized, Competency-Based Learning

Jason Swanson, KnowledgeWorks

AI for Personalized, Competency-Based Learning: Repeating History or Game-Changer?

Beth Rabbitt, Jin-Soo Huh, FullScale; Danny Rojas, AllStarCode; Joel Rose, New Classrooms; Babak Mostaghini, LearnerStudio; Alex Magana, Denver Beacon Schools

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Authentic Records of Learning: Using Headrush to Bridge Durable Skills and Academic Mastery

Andrew Hoyt, The Portage School of Leaders

CBE Static: Tuning our Way from Chaos to Clarity in Assessment and Reporting

Melissa Olson, Deanna Enstad, Jennifer Craft, Kelly Stewart, Megan Jahnke, Spring Lake Park Schools

Centering Youth Voice: Catalyzing Competency-Based Learning Through Student Agency

Loren Demeroutis, Big Picture Learning; Sara Kahn, New Legacy Charter School; Jennifer Quinones, New Village Girls Academy

Lessons From The Field: Leading Student-Centered Learning in Your District

Jonathan Vander Els, Brian Stack, V&S School Solutions; James Neihof, Green River Regional Educational Cooperative; George Philhower, Eastern Hancock Schools; Patty Haynes, Portsmouth School District; Adam Hicks, Shelby County Public Schools

Measuring What Matters: Designing Equitable Accountability Metrics for Innovative Education Models

Steve Sell, Carolina Artacho Guerra, Avia Ferrande, Map Academy

​​Multiple Approaches to Mastery – Customizing CBE Implementation In An Array of Settings

Mike Ruyle, Bill Zima, Marzano Resources

Reframing Learning Acceleration: A Strategy, Not an Aim

Michael Ham, Rae Lymer, FullScale

Senior Year Reimagined: Innovating Competency-Based Education for Real-World Success

Brenda Diaz, Gary Hook, Sparkle King, Graham Mote, Rachel Blough-Ledet, Metro Nashville Public Schools

Transforming Learning for All: How Diverse Students Experience Competency-based Education

Kelly Organ, Jilliam Joe, FullScale; Jacqueline Zweig, EdResearch Solutions; Kathryn Kennedy, Consult4Ed Group

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Where Innovation Grows: Explore the Canopy Project’s School Profiles

Chelsea Waite, ASU

Connecting Student Competencies to Careers of the Future: how durable skills build promising pathways! 

Meg Riordan, Yasenia Dudley, The Possible Zone

From Vision to Reality: Building Equitable, Competency-Based Career Pathways for Sustainable Futures

Amanda Daniels, GPS Education Partners; Daniel Gray, Uplift Education

Leading with Vision: Activating Pillars That Inspire Innovation and Spark Transformation

Emily Giles, Dr. Amy Razor, Dr. Robb Smith, Brittney Howell, Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services

Local Accountability Workshop: Reimagining Assessment and Accountability with Kentucky Communities

Rob Collins, Kentucky Department of Education

Making Mastery Measurable A Practical Approach to Assessing Open-Ended Learning with Clarity and Confidence

Michael Prater, Tessellations High School

Measure What Matters: Designing Skills-Based Assessment in the Math Classroom

Alyson Morse, The Mount Vernon School

Restorative Justice in Education: Building Transformative School Culture through Proactive Practice and Student Leadership

José Bou, Great Schools Partnership

Using AI in Inclusive Strategic Planning

Doannie Tran, Jenny Poon, Center for Innovation in Education (C!E)

“When I graduate, the security blanket of high school goes away” – High School Students Reimagining the Capstone: Personalized Future-Ready Plans that Build Agency, Connection & Optimism

Carolyn Eastman, EdConnect

SPONSOR SESSION: Catapulting from Competency to Credential: Giving Students the Edge to Succeed in Education and Employment

Craig Larrabee, Kim Acker Lipp, GenUS

SPONSOR SESSION: Measuring What Matters for Student Success in School and Life 

Ally Skooh-Hoffman, Luna Nguyen, New Schools Venture Fund

Agency in Math: A Case Study at Lindsay Unified School District of How Elementary Learners Practice Math Skills and Learning-to-Learn Skills

Cinnamon Scheufele, Rebecca Sepeda, Casandra Luna, Erica Madrigal, Lindsay Unified School District; Nik Namba, Jane Bryson, Transcend

All In: Centering Youth Voice in the Future of Internships

David Berg, Big Picture Learning; Sheighlyn Cathey, Nashville Big Picture High School; Milagros Marmolejo Jimenez, Sarai Juarez, New Legacy Charter School; Arionni Webb, Chelsea Rob, New Village Girls Academy

A Practical Approach to Self-Paced, Mastery-Based learning: Meet all your learners’ needs – and have fun doing it! 

Dana Kravchick, Wavio; Toni Rose Deanon, Modern Classrooms Project; Dr. Cecelia Gillam, Benjamin Franklin High School

Beyond the Cliff: 100 Districts, 100 Realities, 1 Bold Future for Professional Learning

Shawn Rubin, Throughline Learning; Cory Steiner, Northern Cass School District; Beth Regulbuto, Brockton Public Schools; George Philhower, Eastern Hancock

Designing Real-World Projects for Multilingual Learners: Engaging, Equitable, and Impactful PBL

Jon Harriman, Nedda de Castro, Internationals Network for Public Schools

Empowering Educators through CBL: Leveraging Effective Instructional Tools for Student Agency, Equity, and Culturally Responsive Teaching

Leah Tuckman, Kate Gardoqui, Paulina Murton, Great Schools Partnership

Minding the Gap: Funding Youth Mental Health

Shruti Sehra, Tezeta Tamrat, New Profit; Alfiee Breland-Noble, The AAKOMA Project

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Open Up a Conversation About Learning

Rebecca Brown, JumpRope, Inc.

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Operationalizing Your Portrait of a Graduate: Student-Led Documentation and Demonstration of Competency Development

Jordan Lewis, SpacesEDU

Reimagining the Educator Role for the Future of Learning

Virgel Hammonds, Kelly Organ, FullScale; Rebecca Midles, Getting Smart; Lennon Audrain, ASU’s Next Education Workforce Initiative; Malika Ali, Throughline Learning; Chong Hau Fu, Leading Educators

The Educator Reimagined: Thriving in a Learner-Centered Ecosystem

Bobbi Macdonald, Education Reimagined; Geoffrey Roehm, Runway Green; Coi Morefield, The Lab School of Memphis; Stephanie Lewis, Remake Learning

Transforming Learning in Michigan: A Regional Approach to Personalized, Equitable Systems

Dr. Dave Richards, Future of Learning Council; Rebecca Midles, Getting Smart

Weaving Success: Career-Connected Pathways from K–8 to High School Transformation

Nicola Martin, TNTP; Patricia Russell, Hamilton County Schools; Connie Grier, The School District of Philadelphia

Differentiation Through Technology: Personalized Learning for Diverse Learners and Promoting Digital Equity

Kurt Knueve, Khyati Sanjana, Digital Promise

Learner-Led Assessment for All

Starr Sackstein, Mastery Portfolio

Policy Partnerships – How Feedback Loops Improve NCAA Eligibility Rules

Sarah Overpeck, NCAA

reDesign’s CBE Catalyst (Live Demo): Learn, Plan, and Prototype CBE—For You, Your Team, or Your System

Antonia Rudenstine, reDesign

SPONSOR SESSION: Walk the Talk: Collaborative Competency-Based PD to Empower Learner-Centered Classrooms

Katie Martin, Learning-Centered Collaborative

AI Coalition: Leveraging AI for Personalization and Educational Innovation

Stephanie Cardella, Jessica Paulsen, LEAP Innovations; Roberto Vargas, Distinctive Schools

Beyond Surveys: Using New Tools To Support Complex Change Processes

Jennifer Poon, Center for Innovation in Education (C!E); Karen Perry, University of Kentucky

Bridging K–12, Higher Ed, and Workforce for the Big Blur

Virgel Hammonds, Jennifer Kabaker, FullScale; Matt Noble, Galileo Learning; Amy Loyd, All4Ed; Carlos Moreno, Big Picture Learning; Shruti Nehra, New Profit

Centering Truth Telling in DEI Initiatives

Nicole Caridad Ralston, Rhonda Broussard, Beloved Community

Empowering Student Voice and Measuring Durable Skills with the One Stone Growth Framework

Michael Reagan, Mackenzie King, Elise Alford, One Stone

Equitable Grading: A Competency-Based Education Entry Point and Core Practice

Joe Feldman, Shantha Smith, Crescendo Education Group

From Research to Reality: Crafting Learning Principles to Guide Your School

Sydney Schaef, CBL Partners; Chris Sturgis, LearningEdge

How One District Engaged Students in Leading Teacher Learning 

Yesenia Ayala, WestEd; Larissa Peru, Kasie Betten, Sunnyside Unified School District

Learning in the Loop: Using AI to Accelerate Personalized, Competency-Based Learning

Thomas Gaffey, Patty Homuth, Heather Harlen, Ayris Sanders, Building 21

Messaging That Moves. Designing Effective Messaging Around Personalized, Competency-Based Systems Transformation

Chiara Wegener, FullScale; Brian Stack, Fremont School District; Christy Kingham, Springpoint; Alan Cheng, NYC Public Schools

Scaling from the Margins to the Mainstream: Insights from Carnegie’s R&D Agenda to Catalyze High School Transformation Nationwide

Diego Arambula, Carnegie Foundation; Sandra Moumoutjis, Building 21; Gaby Sierra, Aldine Independent School District; George Philhower, Eastern Hancock Schools; William Summers, Canon City High School

Students as Change Agents: Creating Sustainable Student-Driven Change

Kimberly Cawkwell, Matthew Swenson, Janey Smith, Challenge Success

The Interaction of Montessori Education and Personalized, Competency-Based Learning:  A Case Study of a Rural, Title I Public School 

Brooke Culclasure, Riley Institute at Furman University

Adapting On-Track Metrics for Competency-Based Schools

Kathryn May, Dell Steckel, Philadelphia Academies, Inc.; Aja Holden, School District of Philadelphia; Rebecca Esposito-Anderson, The U School; Emily Kulick, Analytics for Change LLC

Building Partnership Through Student-Led Conferences

Kristen Watkins, Alma Knutson, Kristen Schroder, Akiba Yavneh Academy

Connecting Formal and Informal Learning for a Complete Picture of Mastery

Virgel Hammonds, Megan Benay, Fullscale; Amy Anderson, RESCHOOL; Taylor Mchabe Junkhe, Rural Schools Collaborative; Geoffrey Roehm, Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School; Scott Bess, Indiana Charter Innovation Center

Finding Your Leadership Soul

Eunice Mitchell, Carlos Moreno, Big Picture Learning

Giving Learners an Advantage in the World – A Rural Wyoming School’s Personalized Learning Model

Beau Garcia, Joe Samuelson, Amanda Knapp, Nick Johnson, Darian Samuelson, Karla Ludemann, Christina Parks, Weston County School District #7

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Grades That Tell the Truth

Shantha Smith, Crescendo Education Group

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: From Insight to Impact: Using LEAP Survey Data to Drive Personalized Learning Success

Stephanie Cardella, Jessica Paulsen, LEAP Innovations

Graduate Resume: Leveraging Workplace Lexicon for Durable Skills to Catalyze High School Transformation

Dr. Lara Ohanian, TNTP; Lisa Relou, Jeffco Public Schools

Networked Transformation: Lessons from 2 States on Leading Regional Initiatives for Change

Stephanie Lewis, Remake Learning; Dr. Pam Hedgpeth, Dr. Charles Pearson, Dr. Debbie Yonke, Dr. Mike Fulton, Success Ready Students Network

Real Talk: School Leaders on Growing and Sustaining Innovation from the Ground Up

Chelsea Waite , Center on Reinventing Public Education; Neil Poynter, Educators for Quality Alternatives (EQA); Bahiy Watson, The 1881 Institute; Angelica Jackson, Phoenix International School of the Arts

The Career Exploration Ecosystem: From Interest Discovery to Sustainable Work-Based Learning

Taylor Philhower, East Central Educational Service Center; Stephanie Loeck, GPS Education Partners (GPS Ed); Lindsey Lovern, East Central Educational Service Center; Judy Bueckert, Southern Indiana Education Center (SIEC)

The Future of Durable Skill Assessment: Transforming Competency-Based Learning with Voice AI

Ian Zhu, SchoolJoy Inc.; Dr. Michael Crawford, America Succeeds; Dr. Chris Unger, Northeastern University

The Moth* Returns: Deep, Heartfelt Stories Worth Re-Telling, from the Edges of Transformational Change in K-12 Schools

Andrew Calkins, Next Gen Learning Challenges (NGLC); John Watkins, Inquiry & Learning for Change; Matthew Riggan, The Workshop School; Laura Furlong, Citizens of the World Charter Schools; Ulcca Joshi Hansen, Educating Potential; Erin Whalen, Da Vinci RISE High School; Jessica Waters, Nowell Academy; Joshua Canedo, Caleb Aguilar, Sunnyside Unified School District

Creating Systems to Promote Learner Agency

Gabrielle Lumbra, Michelle Irish, Margaret Cavazos, Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union

Making an IMPACT: Bringing a CBE Model to Life

Grace Jones, Tara Sparks, Lindbergh Schools

“What is AI competency?” And How it Aligns to Future Ready Skills through the Portrait of a Graduate

Kimberly Erickson, Ralph Valenzisi, Norwalk Public Schools

AI-Powered Career Access: A Real-World Use Case on Reducing Systemic Barriers And Creating Inclusive Career Pathways For Learners

Stephanie Loeck, Sarah Stacey, GPS Education Partners; Ian Zhu, SchoolJoy; Frank Herman, Robbinsdale Area Schools

Breaking Down Silos: Using Survey Data to Measure Holistic Student Competencies & Drive Systemic Change

Amy Riker, Dr. David Kowalski, Panorama Education; Dr. Margaret Cage, Dr. Tyre Jenkins, Montgomery County Public Schools

Community-Based Schools and Competency-Based Learning: Better Together

Megan Benay, FullScale; Kristin Eng, Distinctive Schools – CICS West Belden; Jean Berthiaume, Winooski Middle-High School

Competencies in the Real World of Work

Kimberly Mawhiney, Caren Williams, Ryan Miller, Cody Miller, Keylin Rosado, Rhyan Harvey, Ella Popp, Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies

Cultivating, Supporting and Retaining Culturally Responsive Teachers

Jon Harriman, Nedda de Castro, Internationals Network for Public Schools

Designing Flexible Learning Models Within Public Education

Beth Rabbitt, Rae Lymer, FullScale; Nik Namba, Transcend; Jeff Imrich, Rock by Rock; William Hite, KnowledgeWorks

Empowering Learners with the Portrait of a Learner: Carter County Schools Journey to Shifting Mindsets and Practices

Jordan Lewis, SpacesEDU by myBlueprint; Kristen Bledsoe, Jefferey Huffman, Carter County Schools

From Policy to Practice: Blended Learning and Strategic Staffing as Policy-Driven Solutions for Personalized Learning in Texas

Kristin Mansell, Texas Tech University; Michael Strange, Texas Education Agency; Amanda Webber, Ector County ISD

Innovations in AI Procurement: Leading with Evidence and Learner Outcomes

Alison Shell, Digital Promise; Lucas Mund, Denver Public Schools; Brittany Miller, The Center for Outcomes Based Contracting

Mapping the Future: A Roadtrip Through State-Level Innovation in Education

Rebecca Midles, Getting Smart; Bill Nicely, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; Jeanine Collins, Center for the Future of Learning; Scott Bess, Indiana Charter Innovation Center; Dave Richards, Future of Learning Council

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Portrait to Portfolio: Design Engaging, Portfolio-Worthy Learning Experiences with AI

Aatash Parikh, Inkwire

Exhibitor Learning Opportunity: Stop Competing, Start Directing: The Educator’s Guide to Thriving with AI

Scott Bacon, Center for CBE, Empower Learning

SPONSOR EVENT: GenUS After Hours: Because it Takes All of US

Craig Larrabee, Kim Acker Lipp, GenUS

The registration desk is located on the 3rd floor in the Celestin Foyer.

SPONSOR SESSION: Reflect & Plan: Take stock of your FullScale learnings and identify your next steps

Devin Vodicka, Katie Martin, Learner-Centered Collaborative 

Aligning AI with Purpose: Personalization, Autonomy, and Competency-Based Design – Building High-Impact and High-Quality Units for Each Student in Under 30 Minutes

Alex Magaña, Beacon Network Schools; Erika Twani, Dani Bedoni, Learning One to One Foundation

Architecture, Data, and Dashboards for Mastery Learning: a Detailed Example of Implementation of Mastery Learning Including Free Scalable Tools, Processes, Learning Objectives, and Mastery Thresholds

Alison Rini, Star Lab; Scott Ellis, MasteryTrack

Empowering Diverse Learners Through a Competency-Based, Therapeutic Alternative Model

Margaret DePasquale, Jack Haverty, Next Wave Jr. High Full Circle High School

How Interdisciplinary, Community-Connected Experiences are Reimagining School in Rural Massachusetts

Dr. Beth Regulbuto, Southern Berkshire Regional School District; Nikolaus Namba, Holly Reardon, Transcend

The Art of “I Can”: CBE and Creative Confidence for Young Learners

Melissa Yount-Ott, Sarah Adams, Pattonville School District; Nicole Hagedorn, Christina Livingston, Parkwood Elementary School

The Changing Nature of Graduation Requirements: Replacing Traditional Tests With Authentic Measures of Knowledge and Skills

Harry Feder, National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest); Christine DonFrancesco, National Education Association

The Eastern Edge: Experience the Journey from a Traditional One-Size-Fits-All Teacher Led System to a Personalized Competency-Based System with Students at the Center 

Joseph Mancuso, Keith Shoemaker, Jacqueline Gordon, Anneliese Fasen, Victor McNair, Eastern York School District; Sean Ryan, McGraw Hill

The Next Generation of Changemakers: Community-Engaged Learning in Rural Appalachia 

Dustin Hensley, Rachel Wagner, Elizabethton High School; Meaghan Heimbach, East Tennessee State University

The Teacher Expertise Ecosystem: ASU Prep’s Comprehensive Approach to Developing and Deploying Teacher Leaders

Agueda Nava, Jill Loveall, Megan Hanley, Yesenia Rubio-Gudino, ASU Preparatory Academy

With, Not For: Partnering with Educators to Build Capstone Criteria

Alcine Mumby, ADLM Consulting LLC; Angela Landrum, Colorado Department of Education

Bridging Growth: Aligning a Teacher Mentor Program with Competency-Based Learning Principles

Patricia Wons, Amybeth Taylor, Newmarket School District

Career Preparation for All: Transforming Education by Replacing the Broken “College or Career” and “College for All” Paradigms with a “Career for All” paradigm emphasizing pathways and preparation for strong early careers.

Steve Wallis, Crissel Rodriguez, Da Vinci Schools

Co-Creating the Tech We Need for Future-Ready Learning

Beth Rabbitt, Michael Ham, FullScale; Al Motley, Techademics; Joseph South, ISTE; Juliana Finegan, Vivi

Documenting Transformation: How the Kentucky Innovative Teacher Fellowship Uses Unrulr to Drive Competency-Based Innovation

Rob Collins, Kentucky Department of Education; Aaron Schorn, Unrulr

From Random Acts to Real Results: A District’s Blueprint for Scaling Student-Centered Learning and Igniting Systemic Transformation 

Nick LaFave, Erica Fielder, Michelene Richey, Clover High School

Grounding AI in Schools: What Works, What’s Next

Jin-Soo Huh, FullScale; Lucas Mund, Denver Public Schools; Alex Magiera, Kelley Allenspach Ruyle, Leading Educators

Illuminating AI Competencies: Transforming CBE for an AI-Augmented Future

Justin Bruno, Ken Dirkin, Michigan Virtual

Rethinking Time: Designing and Implementing Master Schedules for Competency-Based Learning

Rachel Albright, ElevatED Studios; Jennifer Echols, Marlo Loria, Cathy Beaudoin, Sang Hee Kim, Mesa Public Schools; Cheryl Hibbeln, IlluminatED Collective

Strategic Planning for Legitimacy, Impact and Survival

Doannie Tran, Center for Innovation in Education (C!E)

STREET DATA POD LIVE from the FullScale Symposium! The Medicine We All Need: Teaching and Leading for Student Voice in Troubling Times

Alcine Mumby, ADLM + Street Data Pod; Shane Safir, Listening and Leading for Equity, Street Data Pod

Teaching Climate Change: A Hands-on Model, Adaptable Tools, and Expert Insights from a Climate Scientist

Sydney Schaef, Jen Soalt, CBL Partners; Charles Harvey, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Luminary Talks: Igniting Minds, Illuminating Transformation

Brought to you be the Nellie Mae Foundation 

Innovation is happening all around us, driven by leaders and advocates who see firsthand how we must make a concerted effort to meet the needs of all students. Join us for our closing keynote where members of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation Speakers Bureau recount how to bring communities together, break down barriers, redesign systems, and advocate for change in a turbulent environment through short “Luminary Talks.” Don’t miss this powerful finale to our Symposium—come ready to be inspired, connect with changemakers, and leave energized to shape the future of education together.

The Nellie Mae Speakers Bureau is a group of education, youth, and community leaders from New England who are advancing racial equity and education justice through their work and advocacy. Stay tuned to learn more about the presenters, and visit the Nellie Mae website to learn more about the Speakers Bureau and its members.