National Summit on Improvement in Education 2025: Full Schedule

Please share your Spring Summit feedback while your thoughts and experience are fresh. We truly appreciate you taking the time to help us improve.

arrow_back View All Dates

11:00am PDT

2D-Prioritizing for Impact: Using Pareto Analysis to Select a High Leverage Focus Filling

Monday March 31, 2025 11:00am - 12:30pm PDT

High Tech High Room 105

Not all problems are created equal—some have a far greater impact than others. In this hands-on session, participants will learn how to apply Pareto analysis, a simple yet powerful tool for identifying the most frequently occurring causes of the problems we seek to address and focusing efforts where they matter most. Using real-world education data, attendees will practice creating Pareto charts, uncovering root causes, and making data-driven decisions that maximize improvement. Walk away with practical skills to streamline your efforts, reduce inefficiencies, and drive meaningful change in your school or district.

Improvers 💜 data: Complete the Session Survey.

Speakers

Curtis Taylor

Director, Meta Network, HTH GSE

Kelly McMahon

Director, Center for Public Research and Leadership

Monday March 31, 2025 11:00am - 12:30pm PDT
High Tech High Room 105

Sessions

Strand Methods of Improvement
Areas of Focus Tools of improvement, Leadership actions
Target Audience District leaders, Network leaders, School leaders, Teachers, Community stakeholders, County or state level leaders

11:00am PDT

2P-Student-Led Improvement: Stories from the NWRESD Student Network

Monday March 31, 2025 11:00am - 12:30pm PDT

High Tech High International Room 222

Join us for stories of bright spots and hurdles gathered over four years with Oregon’s NWRESD Student Network. In partnership with adults in the NWRESD 9th Grade Success Network, Student Interns investigate their own systems, design and implement plan-do-study-act cycles, and advocate for more caring, connected, and inclusive school cultures. Interns receive stipends for participating in convenings, workshops, and coaching to develop the skills and mindsets to become agents of change. Session participants will develop their own pilot proposal for partnering with students using key lessons learned from the NWRESD Student Network and resources from Student-Powered Improvement.

Improvers 💜 data: Complete the Session Survey.

Speakers

Annie Tronco

9GS Professional Learning Co-Lead, Northwest

Hilary Clark-Hassinger

9th Grade Success Network Professional Learning Co-Lead, Northwest Regional ESD

Monday March 31, 2025 11:00am - 12:30pm PDT
High Tech High International Room 222

Sessions

Strand Methods of Improvement
Areas of Focus Equity Diversity and Belonging, Tools of improvement
Target Audience District leaders, School leaders, Teachers, Network leaders, Community stakeholders

1:45pm PDT

3H-The Engine for Improvement: Coaching PDSA Cycles Filling

Monday March 31, 2025 1:45pm - 3:15pm PDT

High Tech High International Room 124

The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle is the engine for learning in networked improvement work, and improvement coaches play an important role in ensuring that the learning from these inquiry cycles benefits the network. In this session, participants will learn about models and approaches to improvement coaching, with a focus on how coaches can help teams build efficient and effective inquiry routines. Participants will examine and reflect upon common dilemmas in coaching PDSAs and practice identifying specific coaching moves to support the team moving forward.

Celebrate and push on the work: Give feedback on this session.

Speakers

Beverley Jenkins

Coordinator, System Improvement Leads (SIL) Project

Sandra Park

Monday March 31, 2025 1:45pm - 3:15pm PDT
High Tech High International Room 124

Sessions

Strand Methods of Improvement
Areas of Focus Tools of improvement, Routines and structures for social learning
Target Audience District leaders, Network leaders, School leaders, Teachers, Technical assistance providers

1:45pm PDT

3I-Beyond the Anecdote: Strengthening Empathy Interviews for Systemic Change Filling

Monday March 31, 2025 1:45pm - 3:15pm PDT

High Tech High International Room 215

Increase your improvement team’s capacity to meaningfully plan for and use empathy interviews in this hands-on session. Participants will learn how to identify a clear and specific purpose for empathy interviews and backwards plan towards that purpose. We’ll discuss the common missteps of empathy interviews and how to avoid them. Participants will practice analysis and application of interview findings. Strategies from this session can be modified and applied to other qualitative data teams collect such as listening sessions. Previous experience with empathy interviews is not required.

Improvers 💜 data: Complete the Session Survey.

Speakers

Kari Nelsestuen

Co-Founder, Community Design Partners

Kari Nelsestuen brings creativity, leadership, and curiosity to Community Design Partners, an organization she co-founded in Portland, Oregon. As a skilled facilitator and advisor, she is motivated by “light bulb moments” when teams uncover root causes of problems on their path... Read More →

Monday March 31, 2025 1:45pm - 3:15pm PDT
High Tech High International Room 215

Sessions

Strand Methods of Improvement
Areas of Focus Tools of improvement
Target Audience District leaders, School leaders, Teachers, Higher education faculty or administrators, County or state level leaders, Network leaders, Researchers, Community stakeholders, Technical assistance providers