Under the newly enacted Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states now face the challenge of creating school accountability systems that can vastly improve upon the model required by No Child Left Behind (NCLB). To help spur creative thinking about how they might do so, and also to inform the Department of Education as it develops its ESSA regulations, the Fordham Institute is hosting an ESSA Accountability System Design Competition. (Details here.)
The entries will be posted here on Wednesday; we expect several dozen proposals—from policy experts, academics, teachers, and students—and on Tuesday, February 2, we’ll see the best submissions presented on the Fordham stage. (RSVP here.) Participants will pitch and defend their proposals in front of a live audience and an American Idol-style panel of judges.
So who are the illustrious judges? Without further ado:
Tony Bennett, Former Florida Commissioner of Education
@Tony_Bennett
For nearly thirty years, Dr. Tony Bennett has dedicated his life to educating students. He began his career in southern Indiana as a high school science teacher and basketball coach, quickly advancing to school administration while building a reputation as a leader with talent for school management, strategic planning, and effective budgeting. After serving as district superintendent, Tony was elected as Indiana’s superintendent of public instruction in 2009. He also served as commissioner of education in Florida before starting Education Reform Strategies, LLC, a consulting company focused on supporting cutting-edge reforms. As state superintendent, Tony led Indiana through what most consider the most comprehensive, student-focused education reform initiatives in the nation. Focused on choice, greater accountability, and freedom, a partial list of Tony’s accomplishments includes creating the nation’s most expansive school voucher program, developing one of the top-rated educator effectiveness programs in the nation, and boldly taking over failing schools. During his tenure in Indiana, the state saw record high school graduation rates and participation and success rates in Advanced Placement courses and exams. Student achievement on the state’s ISTEP assessment also rose dramatically during that same period. Bennett’s leadership quickly earned him a national reputation among government and education leaders. In 2010, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce named Tony Government Leader of the Year. The next year, the Fordham Institute named him its "Education Reform Idol." He served on the board of the Council for Chief State School Officers and the governing board of the Partnership for the Assessment for Readiness for College and Career (PARCC). He was also a founding member and former chair of Chiefs for Change.
Charlene Mendoza, Teacher and Founder, Arizona College Prep Academy @cmm246
Charlene Mendoza is passionate about education, equity, and choice. A Tucson native, she began teaching in charter schools that served students generally considered to be at risk. She teaches AP English and in an integrated math seminar. In addition to teaching, Charlene is pursuing her Ph.D. in language, reading and culture from the University of Arizona. She has two children and loves to cook, especially things grown in her garden. It is the passion to build connections and create opportunities for students and teachers that inspires her work.
Andy Smarick, Partner in Policy and Thought Leadership, Bellwether Education Partners @smarick
Andy Smarick is a partner in Bellwether’s Policy and Thought Leadership practice, joining the organization in 2012. Andy is a member of the Maryland State Board of Education and the author of The Urban School System of the Future. He served as deputy commissioner of education in New Jersey, where he helped lead initiatives that included the state’s successful ESEA waiver and Race to the Top 3 applications, the launching of a new teacher evaluation system, and an overhaul of the department’s charter school authorizing. Andy served as deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education and at the White House Domestic Policy Council, and he has worked both for Congress and the Maryland state legislature. Other roles include distinguished visiting fellow at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, adjunct fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and co-founder and COO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Andy also helped launch a college preparatory charter school for underserved students. He writes regularly for the Flypaper blog, and his articles have appeared in the nation’s leading newspapers and journals. He is a former White House fellow, a member of the 2010-11 class of Pahara Fellows, and a founding board member of 50CAN. He earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude and with honors, as well as a master’s degree in public management, from the University of Maryland. Andy lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids.
Joanne Weiss, former Chief of Staff to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan @JoanneSWeiss
Joanne Weiss is an independent consultant to organizations on education programs, technologies, and policy. For the past fifteen years, she has focused on driving systems-level education change through high-impact grant making, investing, and policy making. From 2009 to 2013, she served in the Obama administration as chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and director of the federal Race to the Top program. Prior to that, she led companies that pioneered technology-based approaches to solving teaching and learning challenges in K-12 and higher education.
Stay tuned to see who makes the cut and be sure to mark your calendar for Tuesday, February 2 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. EST to hear the proposals and weigh in during the live event. You can follow the conversation on Twitter with @educationgadfly at #ESSADesign.
