About Us

Dr. Carla Evans is an associate director at the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment (Center for Assessment). Carla supports states in designing and implementing assessment and accountability reforms. For example, she is actively engaged with projects attempting to bridge the gap between the classroom and the statehouse by designing and implementing balanced assessment systems. Her work includes leading statewide assessment system reviews, assessment literacy initiatives, and performance assessment design and implementation activities. Carla also supports states with accountability design and reforms, including working with task forces to define and operationalize values into the accountability system design and implementation.

Carla’s research focuses on the impacts and implementation of assessment and accountability policies on teaching and learning. She is especially interested in policy research related to balanced assessment systems, culturally responsive assessment, performance-based assessments, AI in classroom assessment, instructionally useful assessment, and assessment literacy.

Carla recently published two books. The first is with Scott Marion, Understanding Instructionally Useful Assessment, which details the assessment design and implementation features necessary to make it more likely that classroom teachers can use the information from an assessment to change their instruction the next day or within a short amount of time. Carla also co-edited an NCME volume with Catherine Taylor, Culturally Responsive Assessment in Classrooms and Large-Scale Contexts: Theory, Research and Practice.

Carla has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and regularly presents her research at the American Educational Research Association (AERA), National Council for Measurement in Education (NCME), and the National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA). Carla is also a frequent blogger on the Center's website and has created a set of open-source Classroom Assessment Literacy modules as well as resources on assessing 21st century skills.

Carla received a Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in Assessment, Evaluation, and Policy. She was awarded numerous honors, including AERA Division H’s Outstanding Dissertation Award, UNH Dissertation Year Fellowship, UNH Graduate Research Assistantships, and UNH Education Department Outstanding Graduate Student Paper Award. Carla recently completed a three-year term on AERA’s Classroom Assessment SIG leadership team and serves as an adjunct professor of education at the University of New Hampshire. Carla began her career as an elementary classroom teacher for almost a decade. 

Contact information: cevans@nciea.org 

Dr. Jeri Thompson, now retired, joined the Center in March 2011 and combines her knowledge of educational systems with assessments, curriculum, and instruction to offer states and districts guidance and support for both assessment and accountability purposes. She provides leadership in designing effective performance assessments and rubrics, facilitating deep understanding of cognitive rigor, scoring and analyzing student work, and deepening understanding of assessment and data literacy. This work has played an integral role in the development of performance assessments for the New Hampshire Performance Assessment of Competency Education (PACE) project. She also works with states and districts on their educator evaluation systems. Jeri is actively studying and developing a variety of tools and instructional resources to support educators’ understanding of Text-Dependent Analysis.

Jeri publishes her work, presents at the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) national conference, and has presented for the Literacy Council.

Prior to joining the Center, Jeri spent 20 years in public education as a teacher, Reading Specialist, Principal, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and Director of Academics at school districts in Maryland and Rhode Island. These experiences have enabled her to understand the practical implications of her work while maintaining fidelity for guiding research and best practices.

Jeri received an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from NOVA Southeastern University. She holds two M.S. degrees for School Administration and Reading from McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College), and has completed a certification in Educational Measurement at University of Illinois-Chicago. She has been an adjunct undergraduate and graduate instructor at colleges in Maryland and Rhode Island for reading and educational assessment courses.