Use Improvement Science to transform how your school measures what matters—and act on what you learn.
Student assessment is meant to inform instruction, support growth, and reflect learning—but too often, it becomes a system of compliance, disconnected from what students actually know and can do. When test scores are used as blunt instruments rather than tools for reflection, educators and students alike lose sight of what assessment can achieve.
At Schools That Lead, we believe assessment should empower—not overwhelm. Our Improvement Science course helps school teams take a fresh, evidence-based look at how assessment is working in their context—and where it’s falling short. Whether you're aiming to better align assessments with your curriculum, close feedback loops between teachers and students, or reduce overtesting, this course gives you the structure and support to make real, lasting change.
Through the improvement science process, your team will identify a specific problem of practice tied to assessment in your school. You’ll learn how to use data—not just test scores, but real-time observations and student work—to inform small, measurable tests of change. Along the way, you’ll build the capacity to continuously learn and adapt as a team, keeping student learning—not just compliance—at the center.
If your school is grappling with low test performance, inequitable outcomes, or a disconnect between instruction and assessment, now is the time to act. Join a network of educators committed to doing assessment differently—with clarity, purpose, and measurable impact.
Register for the Improvement Science course today and start building an assessment culture that reflects your students’ true potential.
South Newton Elementary School in Newton, North Carolina faced a significant post-COVID absenteeism challenge, with 43% of students missing three or more days in the first quarter of the 2023-24 school year. By partnering with Schools That Lead and using Improvement Science, they reduced absenteeism to 27% in just one year.
Foothills Community School (FCS) in McDowell County, North Carolina, has long been recognized for its innovative approach to education, particularly in STEM learning. Since opening 2016, FCS has used Project-Based Learning (PBL) to foster student engagement and academic success. In 2023, the school was named a North Carolina STEM School of Distinction—a testament to its successful implementation of the STEM School Progress Rubric–further solidifying its reputation as a leader in hands-on, inquiry-based learning.
When a Rutherford County teacher sent handwritten postcards to five of her students, she couldn’t have predicted the ripple effect it would create. Her small idea became a model for building student connection, scaled and adapted by educators across North Carolina.
Schools That Lead:
The approximate number of K-12 students STL serves across two cohorts, 70% of whom live in poverty.
The proportion of STL NC NIC schools with graduation rates above the state average increased across both STL cohorts.
The majority of STL NC NIC schools saw greater declines in chronic absences than the state average.
The percentage of STL NC NIC participants reporting understanding how to implement school improvement ideas to address early warning indicators in their school (Since spring 2021)
“[I am] actually observing and recording immediate positive academic, attendance and/or behavioral results for students that need it the most. This is very empowering to me because I don’t have to wait for benchmarks, EOGs, or graduation to see that what I am doing for these students is moving them in the right direction!”
- North Carolina Teacher Leader
Reduce the number of students in your school with early warning indicators for attendance, behavior and course performance.
Embed proven improvement strategies in your context.
Make use of short-cycle, actionable data for classroom-based and school-wide improvement.
Harness the power of a network of like-minded educators across the state to accelerate improvement.
