2022 Utah Rural Schools Conference

Educational leaders set lofty goals to transform schools, but do not always achieve the desired impact on student learning despite their knowledge, effort, and desire. Assessment to Achievement (A2A) has facilitated Utah educators from over 100 schools in more than 25 districts to fuse knowledge, beliefs, and practice. Co-facilitated by experts at the Utah State Board of Education and coaching partners at Ed Direction, A2A educators engage in a four-year professional learning experience coupling learning with feedback to strengthen collaborative practices, use data effectively, and incorporate evidence-based instructional strategies into their teaching practices. In addition to growing academic outcomes for students, staff build leadership skills, plan strategically, and work with coaches to deeply implement change management practices that positively impact student achievement outcomes for years to come.
What’s more? Consistently, participants indicate overwhelming satisfaction in this professional learning experience.
In this engaging presentation, participants will experience the high-quality professional learning that schools experience in A2A. From this experience, they will be able to glean some of the replicable practices Utah schools learn about and apply to create the meaningful changes in their schools. Participants will learn about the rationale and research behind the project. They will explore the high-leverage strategies schools employ over the course of their four years participating in A2A in strengthening collaborative practices, incorporating data-driven discussion structures, and evidence-based instructional practices. Participants will also explore specific examples of the transformative change A2A created in several rural schools before engaging in a Q&A discussion about replicable practice.
Participants will receive a URL to access all materials both during and after the session. They should bring a device with them to maximize their engagement.