There are a number of longitudnal studies on the impact summer break has on learning and content retention.  Today's broadcast features one of the foremost experts on the topic from the Northweast Evaluation Association, Dr. Megan Kuhfeld. Megan Kuhfeld seeks to understand students’ trajectories of academic and social-emotional learning and the school and neighborhood influences that promote optimal growth. Dr. Kuhfeld’s work covers a range of topics, including  longitudinal growth modeling, achievement gaps, and summer learning loss. It has been featured in Education Week, the Los Angeles Times, the Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, and Applied Psychological Measurement.


Prior to joining NWEA, Dr. Kuhfeld completed a PhD in quantitative methods in education and a master’s degree in statistics from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her dissertation was funded by a grant from the American Educational Research Association and was the recipient of the 2017 Brenda Loyd Outstanding Dissertation Award from the National Council on Measurement in Education. 


Additionally, we are delighted to welcome Fenesha Hubbard, professional development specialist with NWEA.  Fenesha joined NWEA in 2012. A former middle school math teacher, instructional coach, workshop facilitator, trainer, and consultant, she’s passionate about creating authentic learning experiences and helping others grow. She’s currently a content designer on the Professional Learning Design team at NWEA. Fenesha holds a BS in math from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MEd in instructional leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago.