Building a Better Assessment Future 2026
August 6 - 7, 2026It’s time to place students at the center of our classroom practice and assessment systems. This requires leadership that not only values innovation but is…
Oftentimes, educators notice a disconnect between the assessments they use in their classrooms and the broader assessment systems they work within. Let the faculty of the Assessment Learning Institute (ALI) meet you in this challenging context to help you more effectively use assessment to accelerate student learning. The activities in this year-long learning engagement empower and fortify teachers and instructional coaches in using classroom assessment to support student learning!
We welcome individual teachers or instructional coaches—new and veteran—who are seeking to refresh their thinking about assessment and deepen their knowledge about and implementation of effective assessment practices.
Participants will deepen understanding and knowledge about:
• assessment literacy;
• balanced assessment systems, specifically in the classroom setting;
• formative assessment as a through line;
• accurate, high-quality summative assessment selection and use; and
• student engagement as partners in the assessment process.
As a result, participants will begin to reexamine the use of and deepen their practices around:
• effective use of pre-assessment tools;
• development and use of quality instructionally embedded modes of assessment;
• use of authentic performance assessments, with an emphasis on prioritized standards; and
• the use of quality formative feedback based on clear success criteria.

Image of the Northern Michigan University logo

Image of the MEA Center for Leadership and Learning logo.
It’s time to place students at the center of our classroom practice and assessment systems. This requires leadership that not only values innovation but is…
Facilitate classroom-level, assessment-literate practice to improve student learning & achievement! Districts that implement—with fidelity—quality balanced assessment systems in every classroom show improved student learning and…
Note: to register for a Season Pass (and save money!), click the button at right. To register for individual sessions, click the session title in…
Join us for MAC Reads 2026-27! This year, we are planning three touch points for participants who will be engaging in the MAC Reads book…