Overview
This webinar examined how states’ education accountability systems can be refined to more accurately measure progress toward high school graduation and college and career readiness for all students, including those pursuing alternative pathways to graduation. We featured Colorado’s performance framework that holds schools and districts accountable for factors such as academic growth and postsecondary and workforce readiness. Colorado has also implemented an accountability system for its Alternative Education Campuses that holds students to the same high standards as in the traditional system, but also gives schools credit for student engagement and other factors important to moving non-traditional students to graduation. We also considered recommendations for ensuring all state accountability systems support college and career readiness and discussed the effects of the federal No Child Left Behind waiver opportunity.
Presenters Included:
Ryan Reyna, Program Director, Center for Best Practices, National Governors Association
Somoh Supharukchinda, Principal Consultant, Accountability and Data Analysis Unit, Colorado Department of Education
Kim Knous-Dolan, Associate Director, Donnell-Kay Foundation
Presenter Biographies
Somoh Supharukchinda is currently a Principal Consultant for the Colorado Department of Education’s (CDE’s) Accountability and Data Analysis Unit. Her main responsibility is to manage the implementation of the state’s educational accountability system, which includes serving as the business owner of the District and School Performance Framework reports, Colorado’s primary accountability tools, and the SchoolView.org Data Center, Colorado’s online data portal. Most recently, Somoh co-authored Colorado’s application for a waiver from federal ESEA accountability provisions, advocating for the use of Colorado’s accountability system in their place. As a former regional Performance Support Manager at CDE and a Strategic Data Project Agency Fellow, Somoh also supports district staff in their understanding of accountability requirements, improvement planning, and data.
Prior to moving to Denver, Somoh worked as an analyst at the New York City Department of Education, as an admission associate at Teach For America, and as a high school student conference coordinator in Lusaka, Zambia. A psychology graduate from Claremont McKenna College, she has also held various research positions.
Kim Knous-Dolan is the Associate Director of the Donnell-Kay Foundation, a Colorado-based private family foundation aiming to improve public education and drive systemic school reform in Colorado through research, creative dialogue and critical thinking. During her eight years at the foundation, Kim’s work has revolved around school accountability, new school development, students off-track to graduation, high school dropouts and the school leadership pipeline.
In 2006 she helped lead the Manual High School renewal and support initiative as a loaned executive to Denver Public Schools. She most recently served as co-chair on the committee to find a new school leader for Manual and continues to support Manual’s development.
Ryan Reyna is a Program Director in the Education Division at the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center). Ryan leads the division’s work on college and career readiness, including standards, assessment, accountability, and transition into postsecondary education and training. He also leads the NGA Center’s work on dropout prevention and recovery. Ryan previously held Senior Policy Analyst and Policy Analyst positions at the NGA Center and worked as a Research Associate at the Data Quality Campaign. Ryan holds a B.A. in American Politics from the University of Virginia and an M.P.Aff. from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.
Click here to view this webinar on YouTube»
Click here to view Somoh Supharukchinda’s Powerpoint Presentation»
Click here to view Kim Knous-Doulan’s Powerpoint Presentation»
Click here to view Ryan Reyna’s Powerpoint Presentation»
*Click here to read answers to questions submitted on Webinar*
Presenter Information
Somoh Supharukchinda
Principal Consultant
Colorado Department of Education
Accountability & Data Analysis Unit
201 East Colfax Avenue
Room 515
Denver, CO 80203
303.866.6778
Kim Knous-Dolan
Associate Director
730 17th Street
Suite 950
Denver, CO 80202
720.932.1544
Ryan Reyna
Program Director, Education Division
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices
444 North Capitol Street
Suite 267
Washington, DC 20001-1512
202.624.5300
