
Principle 5: Measure What Matters

Measure
What Matters
A highly successful K-12 education should produce more than just straight-A students—it should produce productive and engaged citizens who can advance America’s future.
Schools need to adopt multiple measures aligned with local and state priorities, as well as current and future workforce and industry needs, expectations, and realities.
We know that future-ready students must be prepared with real-life skills for the real world. The New Basics (Principle 2) include emerging literacies—such as digital, financial, and AI—as well as a return to good habits and a focus on producing well-rounded, healthy, and happy students.
A defining feature of public education in America is the extent to which local priorities and local control shape how a system structures itself and its resources. Aligning priorities with system performance measurement is essential if measurement is to function as a basis for improving how the system serves learners.
Since the launch of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002, schools and communities have relied heavily and primarily on the use of high-stakes testing to determine student success and school district performance levels. High-stakes tests typically focus on specific academic subjects and basic skills that do not always align with the new, broader set of skills, knowledge, and attributes required for success in the evolving workforce and society. NAEP’s “Nation’s Report Card” relies on standardized testing, some of which has not evolved since the 1970s.
To accurately assess student performance, future-focused school leaders must prioritize measuring what is truly relevant to the future of the workforce and America.
By incorporating various assessment tools and methods, educators can better support students in developing the skills and competencies needed to thrive and succeed in the real world.
We know that success after high school looks different for every student and goes beyond test scores. Our ability to assess student success must fully measure all the ways that public education supports and develops students—their well-being; life skills; skills acquisition; exposure to the arts, sports, and recreation; productive interactions with peers and community; and civic development—and where it is falling short.
A highly successful K-12 education should produce more than just straight-A students—it should produce productive and engaged citizens who can advance America’s future. Using a variety of relevant measures provides a more comprehensive picture of a student’s abilities and readiness for work and life.
School districts are encouraged to incorporate a combination of assessment tools and methods to guide their practice and ensure students can thrive and succeed in the rapidly changing landscape of the 21st century.
School districts that use multi-measure assessments look at various factors, such as academic performance, course enrollment, out-of-school experiences, attendance, and discipline. They can also include measures of essential life skills, such as critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. These data points, used to guide school district offerings, are more likely to indicate whether students are being prepared for the real world.
If our goal is to graduate students who are prepared and inspired for their future then assessment should reflect the skills and mindsets our students need to thrive. When we measure what matters, we affirm that learning is more than a letter grade—it’s a journey toward mastery, purpose, and lifelong learning. At Ephrata, and many other districts across the nation, we’ve seen how a focus beyond the tests, on real-world competencies, can help every learner become Life Ready.
Brian Troop, Superintendent, Ephrata Area School District (Pa.)

Questions to Guide Measuring What Matters:

Do measures of student learning currently in use in the district reflect the full range of desired learning outcomes, including the New Basics?
What is not being measured effectively that should be?
What are the barriers to revising or expanding existing measures?
What additional resources or support do schools and teachers need to implement any new measures or assessments the district may adopt?
How can we improve communication with the learning community about the importance and value of using multiple measures and assessments to gauge student success?
Are school performance metrics distinguished from student performance metrics and used accordingly to inform decision-making?
Are state and national evaluations like NAEP still useful in today’s context, and how can they be adapted and evolved to better reflect student achievement and potential?
Resources Supporting Principle 5
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June 06, 2025
Public Education Promise: A Future-Ready Framework for EducationType:Report Topics: College- Career- and Life-Readiness, Community & Family Engagement, Curriculum & Assessment, District & School Operations, Leadership Development, Staffing, HR & Talent DevelopmentAn action framework rooted in principles and practices flexible enough to enable practitioners to lead in ways specific to their community context, but sturdy enough to prepare all students to thrive in futures they cannot yet imagine. -
April 10, 2025
International Student Exchange: Equipping Students for an Interdependent Global SocietyType:Webinar Recording Topics: College- Career- and Life-Readiness, Curriculum & AssessmentJoin representatives from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), The Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) and the Alliance for International Exchange and learn the value of international high school exchange programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. -
March 18, 2025
Bridging the Summer Gap: What District Leaders Say About Learning Beyond the School YearType:Report Topics: Curriculum & AssessmentInsights from U.S. school superintendents on summer learning opportunities, challenges, and future priorities.
Programs & Events Supporting Principle 5
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Early Learning CohortType:
Cohort Topics: Curriculum & Assessment, Early LearningUnlock the transformative power of early childhood education, fostering academic success, social-emotional development, and closing achievement gaps for a brighter future. -
Redefining Ready! CohortType:
Cohort Topics: College- Career- and Life-Readiness, Curriculum & Assessment, District & School OperationsStudents are so much more than a standardized test score. Redefine what "ready" looks like for your students.