As we close out 2018, we thought it would be interesting to look back on 10 of the most shared media stories about NWEA and our customers during the year. It was a busy year – and these are the stories that interested you most!

From Virginia to California to Sydney, Australia, five of the most shared news articles tell stories of how teachers and schools use MAP Growth to deliver instruction that results in student growth. We are pleased to share their successes even more!

1. The Sydney Morning Herald – Beyond NAPLAN: The Brave New World of Testing
2. Martinsville Bulletin – Martinsville, Henry County Schools Accredited by the State
3. The Herald Bulletin – Schools Receive their Accountability Grades
4. Denair Pulse – Denair High Earns Impressive Six-year Accreditation
5. Greenfield Daily Reporter – B. Stephens’ Students Join Academic Excellence ClubAs Jill Barker, Superintendent at Anderson Preparatory Academy in Indiana, states in the Herald Bulletin article:
   

   We have seen growth in the past through NWEA, and we are pleased that it is now reflected on our state’s standardized testing. We will also continue focusing on NWEA as the best and most consistent measure of our students’ growth and progress and use these results in the classroom to drive instruction.

So that we continually discover more about how to help all kids learn, NWEA maintains a research department that studies many K-12 education topics. These two articles share results of proprietary studies on summer learning loss and measuring growth versus achievement in high-poverty schools.

6. Education Week – Summer Learning Gaps Worsen in Higher Grades, Just Not the Way You Think – Inside School Research – Education Week
7. Education Dive – NWEA: High-Poverty Schools Can Still Have High Student Achievement Growth

This feature on the 2017 Wyoming Teacher of the Year centers on his participation in NWEA’s “Leading from the Classroom” podcast series. The new season of the series has just launched this month – listen to new episodes at teacherpodcasts.org.

8. Sheridan Press – Teacher of the Year: Fuhrman Reflects on Whirlwind Year, Accomplishments, Goals

NWEA commissioned Gallup to conduct a study examining how non-academic skills are assessed. The results interested you! You can read more in the article below or in our blog on the study here.

9. Education Week – Schools Should Teach (and Measure) ‘Soft Skills,’ Parents and Educators Agree

Finally, this article shared the news of our work with a consortium of Georgia school districts to develop and pilot a new kind of state assessment.

10. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution – DEEPER FINDINGS: Georgia to Seek Federal Waiver on Standardized Tests
    

    Marietta City Schools is among the districts participating in the pilot program, and the superintendent there, Grant Rivera, told state board members at a preliminary meeting Wednesday that his teachers want a useful test: “We have got to stop assessing for somebody else, and start assessing for our kids.”

Thanks for a great year everyone! Stay tuned for more news and partner success stories here on Teach. Learn. Grow. in the New Year!