SDP Winter Workshop 2025

Session Recording Not Available For This Session

Zoom: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/97911708953?pwd=3X3R9FGEjzu3kxGWCYO8wbcKE3ylEO.1
Passcode: 189356

PREWORK: None

SESSION DESCRIPTION: 

Day Two of Winter Workshop is focused on the people and community of SDP. We will break into two groups (C15 and C16) to share. This session is labeled as "general", but will split into cohort based meetings after our Day 2 kickoff and welcome.

A longstanding Fellowship tradition, each Fellow will have the opportunity to share their leadership story, also known as a Formative Experience story, with their cohort. The programming is designed to build fellowship community, support for one another, and further develop each of our leadership capacities. Sharing our leadership stories allows us to better understand what has led each of us to do the work we do, and how we continue to be inspired to make a positive difference in education.

Cohort 16
Tuesday, February 4th "Knitting the Network" (12:00 - 12:45 PM EST)
Yuzhu Xia
Andrew Jenkins
Melinda Wengrin
Karen Pineda
Benjamin Allen 

Tuesday, February 11th "Capstone Session" (3:30 - 5:00 PM EST)
Abbie Barondess
Melissa Nelson
Charmaine Llagas-Mulhernn
Devyn Shafer

Cohort 15
Monday, February 3rd, "Capstone Session" (4:00 - 5:00 PM EST)
Kristin Joseph Calderone
Annie Hemphill
Trent Middleton
Tim Howarth

Tuesday, February 4th "Knitting the Network" (12:00 - 12:45 PM EST)
Chasya Hiebert
Hayley Tymeson
Jason Godfrey
Jeremy Raff
John Ezaki

Tuesday, February 11th "Cohort Session" (3:30 - 5:00 PM EST)
Zoey Liu Qiu
Kimberly Erickson
Matt Cronin
John Iko
Rain Tsong
Meghan Scrimgeour
Matt Faiello 

**Open to both C15 and C16 Fellows for scheduling.**

Zoom: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/93607364078?pwd=yune0btAXiCjLicdqECodT2wgPkr4f.1
Passcode: 420706

SESSION RECORDING: To Be Posted

PREWORK:

SESSION DESCRIPTION:
Within the public sector, there is a responsibility to do the most good possible with the limited resources available. To support this mission, this session will introduce cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, and cost-utility analysis, demonstrating their application for educational agencies and decision-makers through real-world examples.

SESSION MATERIALS:

** Session open for C15 and C16 Fellows **

Zoom: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/92069619131?pwd=ZICpLeoFgasOP8k4Rphh7aZMxX6xpJ.1
Passcode: 226219

SESSION RECORDING: To Be Posted

PREWORK: ** No Submission Required ** 
1) Please be ready to discuss at least one situation/audience/context in your experience, where discussing the use of data to promote equity can trigger pushback or be misunderstood
2) Please be ready to discuss how/whether a change of governmental Administration, at the national or state level, can make your job harder or easier.
3) Please think about how you would describe your work and its importance, in two sentences, to a friend or relative who is not in your field and literally knows nothing about it.

SESSION DESCRIPTION:
In this session, Joe Grady, Co-founder of the Topos Partnership, will present insights and recommendations from a number of research efforts looking at how audiences respond to ideas about using data to promote more equitable outcomes. The session will help participants craft communications that bring broader audiences into a constructive dialog about the topic – avoiding common pitfalls inherent in this complex and potentially fraught topic.

SESSION MATERIALS: 

• Slides to be posted

SESSION RECORDING

PREWORK: ** No Submission Required **

Complete the Manager's Profile worksheet (estimate 30 minutes to complete)
This session will offer you the opportunity to workshop your real or anticipated “managing up challenges” (either with a direct or indirect supervisor, a lateral colleague, or another senior leader in your organization). Please note that this does not assume that you have a serious or egregious challenge, or that anyone with whom you work with is terrible. On the contrary, most people with whom we work are competent and talented in particular ways, and our job is to figure out how to optimize your collaboration and lend the most value. We are asking you to come prepared to share:

• Identify a specific person or group of senior persons to reflect on in this session.
• What obstacles or challenges have you faced in working with senior leaders that directly or indirectly manage you or with whom you collaborate that will have an impact on the success of your work?

SESSION DESCRIPTION: In this session, fellows will identify obstacles to working with senior leaders and learn strategies to effectively work with supervisors or other senior colleagues. We will workshop current or past challenges in executing impactful data projects and getting them to influence organizational decisions. Primarily, we will focus on individual leaders with whom you have worked or are currently working, and we will generate next steps to ensure that you are optimizing your collaboration and moving the work forward together.

SESSION MATERIALS:

SESSION RECORDING

PREWORK: ** No Submission Required **
Write 1-3 paragraphs about an upcoming data opportunity that feels “high-stake” for you. What and when is it, and what about it feels high-stakes or high profile?
Alternatively: Write 1-3 paragraphs about the type of high-profile data opportunities you aspire to in your career. How is that different from what you’re doing now, and what do you think it might take to get there?

Submission not required. If you would like to share your work, please upload here. 

SESSION DESCRIPTION:
 In this dynamic workshop, guided by a seasoned education sector leader, SDP Fellows will learn how to maximize their opportunities and manage risks in high-stakes situations representing their organizations alongside or in partnership with senior leadership. Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, participants will learn strategies for tailoring their messaging to align with organizational priorities, enhancing their ability to capture executive attention, and navigating their unique institutional contexts effectively. With a focus on risk management, attendees will be equipped with the tools to anticipate challenges, mitigate potential setbacks, and leverage their "at bats" to drive meaningful progress in their organizations.

SESSION MATERIALS:
View the video of DC's 2023 Statewide Assessment Results

SESSION RECORDING: To Be Posted

Zoom: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/92976939816?pwd=8cxSiAG2Et56cVq9lo2qlYVgDFC7Dq.1
Passcode: 245878

PREWORK:
Fellows should read Greene (2012), Engaging Critical Issues in Social Inquiry by Mixing Methods. Additionally, for any Fellows planning on conducting a mixed methods project, I recommend reading Headley et al. (2020), Multilevel Mixed Methods Research Designs: Advancing a Refined Definition. 

SESSION DESCRIPTION:

In this session, you’ll learn about the power of mixed methods research to unlock unique, nuanced insights, common mixed methods research designs, approaches to data collection for mixed methods studies, and the practical demands of conducting mixed methods research.

Session Recording Not Available For This Session

Zoom: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/93184245538?pwd=2XP9DR0X7h4bnhbaa1IMAfedop01d2.1
Passcode: 534235

PREWORK: **Submission Required**
Please complete this short survey (2-3 min) by Friday, January 31st 

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X22GCX3

SESSION DESCRIPTION: 
In today’s political climate, the concept of equity in education varies widely across states, shaped by differing definitions and political perspectives. Yet, equity remains a cornerstone of education in America, ensuring that all students—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, English as a second language, or other factors—have fair access to opportunities that foster academic success.

While many educators, data strategists, and leaders recognize the importance of equity, they often struggle to implement it in ways that are practical, digestible, and embraced across political divides—all while keeping the focus on students.

This highly interactive session will empower attendees with actionable strategies to conduct inclusive research and evaluation through an equity lens. Participants will engage in a dynamic simulation activity to apply equity principles directly to their Capstone projects, bridging theory and practice in real-time. Drawing on the collective knowledge and experiences of attendees, the session will offer practical tools to advance equity in education research and evaluation, ensuring that historically marginalized groups are centered in efforts to promote academic achievement for all.

Session Materials:

• Slide Deck 
• Template to Frame Research Questions via a DEI Lens
• Build Your Own Inclusive Research Project 
• Breakout Session Guiding Questions_Application and Scale
• Asset-Based Language Resources