Cara Cahalan Laitusis

It’s 90% how you label it. Love your optimistic label.

NCME is a strong organization with a great board. Colleagues, please nominate those eager and ready to lead us forward, together. Link (due 11/14): form.jotform.com/252314794748...

We welcome your questions and look forward to your engagement. @ncme38.bsky.social @derekbriggs.bsky.social

My 2025 travel schedule includes 6 trips to Kansas, but I am particularly excited for this one because it includes visits to the Kansas School for Blind and Kansas School for Deaf. My goal is to improve reading assessments to align with effective instruction, but that starts with learning.

A Case for Reimagining Universal Design of Assessment Systems The 2014 Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing describe universal design as an approach that offers promise for improving the fairness of educational assessments. As the field reconside...

In a recent article in EM:IP, Cahalan Laitusis and Karvonen review the history of universal design and propose a new framework—universal design of assessment systems—to address contemporary issues and needs in the field.

Learn more: doi.org/10.1111/emip...

#NCMEResearch

Wow! They are inspiring.

We recognize the impressive advances the universal design community has made to ensure that #universaldesign #UDL requirements permeate laws and design requirements that extend beyond educational assessment. Instead of abandoning these efforts, we reimagine -
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Assessment’s Role in School Choice | Center for Assessment As public school choice expands, state tests play an increasingly important role: providing a common benchmark to help families evaluate their options.

Public school choice is expanding—but how do families make informed decisions?

AIR's Kerstin Le Floch and Laura Hamilton explain why statewide assessments matter more than ever in a new @nciea.bsky.social blog.

www.nciea.org/blog/statewi...

We’ve got a bunch of interesting presentations lined up for the National Conference on Student Assessment #NCSA2025 next week. ➡️ bit.ly/4edAaDs Here’s a rundown of what we’re doing. Come see us if you’re in Denver!

If you are #NCSA2025 join me at 2:45 in Ballroom D. I will be presenting with Kansas and Maryland on how to balance the civil rights of students with disabilities and implement science of reading reform. I am sharing more on the importance of measuring background knowledge.

Seems like this is classic correlation is not causal. My bet is that stress causes both poor food choices/carb-sugar cravings (thus eating less fruits and vegetables) and sleep disturbances.

Infographic: K12 Persona Spectrum with 4 rows and three columns. Rows are labeled permanent, temporary, and situational. Columns are Touch, See, Hear, Speak. Each cell has an image with text that include: Row 1 Touch: Permanent Person with One Arm Temporary, Person with broken arm, Situational Person Eating Snack. Row 2 See: Permanent Blind, Temporary Forgot Glasses, Situational Sitting in back of class. Row 3 Hear: Permanent Deaf, Temporary Ear Infection, Situational Noisy Playground. Row 4: Speak: Permanent Non Verbal, Temporary Laryngitis, Situational Heavy Accent.

I love the Microsoft inclusive persona spectrum graphic for accessibility. Since bartender and cataracts don’t fit my main audience of K12 education, I adapted it and thought I would share. @edusky.bsky.social #Edusky #a11y

So great! maybe another academic can place this “development milestone” on a continuum along with first apartment, getting their own health insurance, and moving off the family cell phone plan.

Excellent presidency and talk. Thank you for your service and uplifting all the unpaid service members provide to sustain @ncme38.bsky.social

Validity chapter

#AERA2025 going on now Mile High Ballroom 1EF convention center

Cartoon about different voices in divided nation

Effective civic education slide

Formative assessment task on Presidential Executive Orders

Much needed session at #NCME2025 on how civics education can happen in a divided nation. www.xcdsystem.com/ncme/program...

Colorado IJ at Hilton

If you are interested in how we can use accommodation and universal tools click/usage data to inform policy, scoring, and test design just keep walking all the way around the back to find us at 8am Colorado I/J #NCME2025 www.xcdsystem.com/ncme/program...

The Joint Committee will have two sessions for #AERA2025 and #NCME2025 attendees to hear about our work updating the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing.
Today’s session is at 1:45 at the convention center and (Saturday session is at the Hilton). www.xcdsystem.com/ncme/program...

And now we know. #AI items for bar exam and “non legally trained” psychometrician www.latimes.com/california/s...

I just reviewed the #AERA2025 accessibility tips. I don’t think it is necessary to “describe your appearance and dress”. Here are my #4
1. Use the mic
2. Say your name before you speak
3. Describe/read key points in the visual slides
4. Slow down for ASL interpreting

www.aera.net/Events-Meeti...

Trump Education Plan Raises Fears Over Future of Testing and Accountability Without a strong ‘federal backstop,’ some experts argue it will be harder to keep states honest and protect the neediest students.

Future of Testing and Accountability www.the74million.org/article/trum...

I am heading to #AERA2025 and #NCME2025 next week. I think this may be the first conference with a lot of us on @bsky.app Does anyone know if we just use hashtags or if there is a better way to interact people at the conference? @ncme38.bsky.social @aeraedresearch.bsky.social

Another wonderful addition to BlueSky is the Center for Assessment @nciea.bsky.social

Also included in the Measurement and Assessment Starter Pack go.bsky.app/DW9LoQa #EduSky

Cara’s Favorite Accessibility Things | Center for Assessment Oprah has her list. We have ours. Check out the accessibility tools and innovations that Cara Laitusis loves.

Sharing my 6 favorite things for accessibility. I hope #5 and #6 can keep their federal funding. www.nciea.org/blog/caras-f... #edusky #a11y @edusky.bsky.social #edtech #asugsvsummit

Westporters lend a big hand to nationwide ‘Hands Off’ protests | Westport Journal Westport: “Hands Off” rally draws crowd of 1,000 to oppose Trump/Musk policies, joining other demonstrations across the nation.

westportjournal.com/community/we...

My 80 year old mother and her friends at a protest in Florida

Happiness is when your 80 year old mom is sending you this picture with her friends in Florida and your 82 year old father sends a video from his #HandsOff protest in Connecticut. I am hoping the apple won’t fall far from the tree for me.

🤣

The Case for State Testing | Center for Assessment States should keep requiring students to take statewide tests even if the Trump administration stops enforcing federal assessment laws.

If you missed the Center for Assessments “Case for Testing” webinar you can find the paper and recording here: www.nciea.org/library/the-...

Here is the statement LEAs and SEAs need to sign. www.ed.gov/media/docume...

How Might the Trump Administration Target D.E.I. in Public Schools? (Gift Article) A letter from the administration promised to withdraw funding from schools that allow certain D.E.I. programs. But what counts as D.E.I. may prove murky.

This one seems to be really sliding under the radar with all the other news but is a big deal IMO. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/u...

Common app ratings for constructs like integrity, maturity, disciplined habits, etc

Assume you are joking , but the common app ratings for counselors don’t seem that different.