We’re sharing the gift of knowledge with our third annual Holiday Extravaganza! There's a twist to this year's festivities, as we compete against our sister-podcast Work Smarter Not Harder in a holiday data trivia contest hosted by our colleague Daniel Bunce. Play along as you listen to test your seasonal traditions knowledge against the participants from Data, Research, and Accountability!
Follow Work Smart Not Harder on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Contact Data Lit via our website or at datalit@wcpss.net
Accountability reports are meant to drive school improvement, but too often they result in little more than anxiety and resentment. In this episode, we interview Lauren Curtis, Director of Progress Monitoring and Tiered Support, about how we can better support schools when it comes to this type of data. We discuss how vulnerability, shared responsibility, and incremental changes can help us bridge the divide that lies between accountability and action.
Research & resources from the episode:
Center for Assessment - Strengthening Ties Between Accountability and School Improvement
Dan Pink - Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Theme music by Millbrook High School’s Tre’mond Ponton
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Contact us via our website or at datalit@wcpss.net
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
Our accountability systems are meant to drive school improvement, but too often they leave educators feeling anxious and overwhelmed. This episode reviews five practical principles to marry high-level accountability data with local data and processes to spur real change.
Research & resources from the episode:
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
The theme song by Green Hope High School’s Lukas Brandon
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Contact us via our website or at datalit@wcpss.net
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
We’re kicking off a new mini-series by going back to where it all began: Our discussion on the Purpose of Assessments. Join us as we explore how understanding why we measure can help us rethink how we improve.
Research & resources from the episode:
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Contact us via our website or at datalit@wcpss.net
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
In this concluding chapter of our series based on Culturally Responsive Assessments, we move from theory to sustainable practice. First, we shine a light on the core challenges preventing change, such as limited instructional materials, the struggle to maintain rigor while adapting culturally, and unconscious bias in teacher perceptions. Then, we give listeners some practical solutions straight from the book, outlining key best practices like targeted training and support, purposeful assessment design, better methods for evaluating student work, effective communication about student progress, and strategic use of assessment results. Tune in and get the tools you need to make this critical shift stick.
Research & resources from the episode:
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Theme music by Millbrook High School’s Tre’mond Ponton
Contact us via our website or at datalit@wcpss.netHosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
Ready to put culturally responsive assessment into practice? Then join us for part two of our series on the new book, Culturally Responsive Assessment in the Classroom and Large-Scale Assessments. In this episode, we break down the editors’ six-stage cycle of teaching, learning, and assessment. From self-reflection to lesson evaluation, we walk through each phase to share what the research says about how to embed cultural responsiveness in every step of your planning, instruction, and assessment process. Tune in for practical ways to make your classroom cycle more equitable and effective!
Research & resources from the episode:
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Theme music by Millbrook High School’s Tremond Ponton
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Contact us via our website or at datalit@wcpss.net
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
What if how we learn is filtered through our culture? In this episode, we kick off a new series inspired by the book Culturally Responsive Assessment in Classrooms and Large-Scale Contexts. We explore why it's crucial to think about the role of culture in assessment design and take a look back at the origins of culturally relevant pedagogy, given the interdependence between curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment. Join us as we start a conversation about making assessments more fair and accurate for all students.
Research & resources from the episode:
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
The theme song was provided by Lukas Brandon from Green Hope High School
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
Ever wonder what goes into building a school from the ground up? In this episode, we're talking with Principal Katie Caggia about her experience opening a brand new school this year! She's sharing her secrets on how to use data to build school culture, the key information she gathered before the first bell rang, and the challenges of starting with a blank slate. Join us for an enlightening conversation as we learn more about leading when you’re starting from scratch.
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
The theme song was provided by Lukas Brandon from Green Hope High School
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
We wanted to share the trailer for the Work Smarter Not Harder podcast, which is hosted by our colleagues in DRA's Program Accountability team. You can access their feed on Spotify, Apple, and wherever else you get your podcasts.
Ever wondered how someone ends up leading a district’s data, research, and accountability work? In this episode, we chat with the Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Brad McMillen, about his path into the role, the biggest shifts he’s seen in how schools use data, and his advice for educators who want to make data work for them, not against them.
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Theme music by Millbrook High School’s Tre’mond PontonHosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
We’re back for Season Six! After five seasons of deep dives into assessment and data literacy, we’re taking a moment to look back at the journey. Join us as we share the most impactful lessons we have learned - from insightful conversations with educational experts and district staff and students to uncovering research and best practices that can truly inform our work. This is more than a look back; it’s a springboard for what’s to come. Get ready for a new season packed with fresh perspectives and actionable insights!
Theme music by Millbrook High School’s Tre’mond Ponton
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
In our season finale of Data Lit, we take a look back at some of the standout moments by highlighting key topics such as data literacy guidance, 4Cs strategies from students' perspectives, and the global landscape of standardized testing. You’ll enjoy clips from our favorite episodes, featuring insights from influential guest speakers, including the district superintendent and school-based testing coordinators. Join us for this reflective and insightful conclusion to an impactful season.
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Theme music: Lost by Leesville Road High School’s Will McAlarney
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
Research shows that the way assessments are administered plays a crucial role in ensuring their validity and reliability. In this episode, we sit down with three district Testing Coordinators—Lorrie Sardiello from Northwoods ES, Susan Cherry from Oberlin MS, and Joshua Gurkin from Apex HS—to unpack their role in the assessment cycle. We explore how they support test administration, empower both students and teachers, and contribute to building assessment literacy across their schools. Whether you're a new Testing Coordinator or a teacher considering stepping into this role, you’ll find practical insights and advice to help you get started and make an impact.
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Theme music: Lost by Leesville Road High School’s Will McAlarney
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
In this episode of Data Lit, we dive into the world of standardized testing, exploring how four countries—South Africa, Finland, Australia, and Singapore—develop and implement their assessments. We unpack the historical context, the educational philosophies behind their approaches, and the role that assessments play in shaping each system. Join us as we compare international perspectives and reflect on how standardized testing evolves in different cultural and political contexts.
Research & resources from the episode:
Student Assessment in Eight Countries (Ed Leadership, 2000)
What Standardized Tests Look Like in 10 Places Around the World (Business Insider, 2018)
National Standardized Assessments in South Africa by T. Chilenga-Butao et al (2021)
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Theme music: Lost by Leesville Road High School’s Will McAlarney
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
Spring is here - a season of flowers, bunnies, and big decisions for high school seniors as they declare their college plans. In this episode of Data Lit, we sit down with Tim Carroll, Director of Special Projects for WCPSS’ Data, Research, and Accountability department, to explore how enrollment and degree-completion data from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) can reveal important trends about student persistence, transfers, and post-secondary success. Join us as we reflect on our own college aspirations, uncover key patterns in where our graduates are headed, and even test your knowledge on the top colleges they’re choosing. Plus, we’ll share a few data-informed tips to support students in their post-secondary journeys!
Research & resources from the episode:
College Outcomes of WCPSS Graduates, 2006-2023 (for WCPSS employees)
WCPSS employees: Sign up for office hours to discuss college outcomes data with Tim Carroll
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Theme music: Lost by Leesville Road High School’s Will McAlarney
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
Performance assessments can be a productive way for students to show their growth in the 4Cs (critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication). To dig deeper into this assessment method, we’re re-airing our discussion on performance assessments from November of 2020. Before and after that segment, we connect these ideas to what students told us throughout our 4Cs series.
Research & resources from the episode:
Educational Leadership: Good feedback is targeted, specific, timely
DRA Video on the cognitive science principle of Interleaving
Stiggins, R.J. Arter, J.A., Chappuis, J. & Chappuis, S. (2006). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right-Using it Well. Portland, OR: ETS
Wren, D. G., & Garies, C. R. (201 9). Assessing deeper learning: Developing, implementing, and scoring performance tasks (1st ed.). Lanham, MD :Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Theme music: Lost by Leesville Road High School’s Will McAlarney
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
In this final episode of our series on integrating the 4Cs, we turn to the experts—our students. Through their own words, they remind us that learning is social, that authenticity matters, and that engagement is key. Their advice challenges us as educators to always create learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom where collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and creativity come to life in meaningful ways. Tune in for a powerful reflection on what students need most from their teachers.
Research & resources from the episode:
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Theme music: Lost by Leesville Road High School’s Will McAlarney
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
In this episode, we explore how the 4Cs—critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication—can be nurtured outside the classroom. Featuring clips from students presenting their GIS mapping projects, we highlight moments where they have applied these skills to their research on real-world problems. We also discuss how extracurricular activities and out-of-classroom experiences play a vital role in building these competencies. Tune in to see how learning goes beyond the classroom walls to prepare our students for the future.
Research & resources from the episode:
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Theme music: Lost by Leesville Road High School’s Will McAlarney
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System
In this episode, we listen to real student voices as they share how their teachers bring the 4Cs—critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity—into everyday lessons across different subjects. Join us as we react to their insights, discuss the impact of these skills on student engagement, and explore how fostering the 4Cs can make learning more meaningful and exciting. Tune in to hear why integrating these essential skills isn’t just good teaching—it can be a game-changer for student interest and success!
Research & resources from the episode:
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series.Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Theme music: Lost by Leesville Road High School’sWill McAlarney
Data, Research, and Accountability department forthe Wake County Public School System
WCPSS’ mission is to “provide a relevant and engaging education and will graduate students who are collaborative, creative, effective communicators and critical thinkers.” This episode introduces our exploration of why these 4Cs are so essential to preparing our students to lead productive lives in a complex and changing world. We define each of the 4Cs, discuss potential challenges to measuring them, and finally offer a solution to the challenges which we will explore in subsequent episodes.
Research & resources from the episode:
A Critical Review of Assessments of Creativity in Education
ASCD: Making School Worth Kids’ Time
World Economic Forum: Our education system is losing relevance. Here's how to unleash its potential
Torrens University: What are the 4Cs of 21st-century learning skills?
NCDPI’s 4 million Skills for the Future Grant
WCPSS staff can earn credit for listening to and reflecting on completed series. Learn more here.
Hosts: Mellisa Smith and Spencer Ziegler
Theme music: Lost by Leesville Road High School’s Will McAlarney
Data, Research, and Accountability department for the Wake County Public School System