AAAC

Assessment and Accountability Advisory Committee

The AAAC provides support to PED with policy and program matters related to assessment and accountability.

TAC

Technical Advisory Committee

TAC Member Bios

Edynn Sato, PhD (Chair)

Edynn Sato has more than 25 years of experience in education research and development, evaluation, training, technical assistance, and management. Her focus has been on making learning inclusive, accessible, and equitable, and her research, development, and consultation have affected practice and policy in the U.S. and abroad. Currently, she works as an independent consultant for her own company, Sato Education Consulting LLC. Recent and current work include: peer review of evidence for state assessment systems; management and development of English language proficiency standards for English learners with significant cognitive disabilities; facilitation and development of a Theory of Action, Logic Model, and technical manual related to English language development; and evaluation of accommodations for English learners.

Tony Albano, PhD

Tony Albano is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at UC Davis, where he teaches courses in testing, assessment, and data science. His research aims to improve teaching and learning via effective educational and psychological measurement, including improvements in psychometric methods for scaling and modeling assessment results and enhanced accessibility in test design and implementation. In addition, Dr. Albano collaborates on projects examining best practices in instruction and assessment with emergent bilingual students, computerized adaptive testing technologies in early education, and culturally responsive pedagogy in higher education.

Richard Brown, PhD

Richard S. Brown is the Founder and CEO of West Coast Analytics, a research and consulting firm, and the Chief Research Scientist with the National Math + Science Initiative. Formerly, he held faculty posts in the USC Rossier School of Education and the Department of Education, University of California, Irvine. At both USC and UCI, he taught courses in educational measurement, advanced statistics, and research methodology. Previously, he worked as Senior Researcher at the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST) at UCLA. His work at CRESST involved providing technical expertise on two large-scale public school assessment initiatives, specifically in the areas of test development, measurement, and performance standard setting.

Scott Marion, PhD

Scott Marion partners with Associate Director Chris Domaleski to manage the operations of the Center for Assessment, and he works closely with the Center Board of Directors to establish the long- and short-term strategic direction of the organization. He is also actively engaged with Center clients; his projects include designing and supporting states in implementing assessment and accountability reforms, developing and implementing educator evaluation systems, and designing and implementing high quality, locally-designed performance-based assessments. He is a national leader in designing innovative and comprehensive assessment systems to support instructional and accountability uses, including helping states and districts design systems of assessments for evaluating student learning of identified competencies. Scott coordinates and/or serves on five district or state Technical Advisory Committees (TACs).

Sheryl Lazarus, PhD

Sheryl Lazarus is associate director of the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) at the University of Minnesota. She provide technical assistance to states, and conducts research on, issues related to the inclusion of all students, including students with disabilities, English learners (ELs), and ELs with disabilities in assessments. Areas of focus include student participation, accessibility and accommodations, alternate assessments, technology enhanced assessments, graduation policies and diploma options. Her work covers the span of assessments in a comprehensive assessment system (e.g., large-scale assessments, interim/benchmark assessments, formative assessments). Dr. Lazarus is also the Director of TIES Center, which is the National Technical Assistance Center on Inclusive Policies and Practices for Students with the Most Significant Disabilities. She has a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota, with a minor in Agricultural and Applied Economics. Dr. Lazarus also holds a K-12 Minnesota principal’s license. She has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, reports, and training materials. Dr. Lazarus serves on the assessment Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) of several states.

NM SAT Users Group

The NM SAT Users Group provides feedback and guidance to the NMPED regarding SAT topics throughout the school year.