As you may know, AdvancED and Measured Progress merged in 2018, bringing together two nonprofit leaders in educational improvement and assessment. The new organization, Cognia™, bridges school evaluation with student performance to see a full picture and help improve educational institutions in a holistic way. For more information about Cognia, read the press release.

Continuing our partnership with Cognia, Michigan will retain the same high quality customer service and valued personal relationships. Schools and districts will have access to enhanced tools, resources, and expertise to drive continuous improvement, including family and community engagement surveys.

There will be no impact on your use of the ASSIST reporting platform for the 2019-2020 school year. To access ASSIST, go to the new Cognia website and click on the Login option in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Select the ASSIST logo to access reports and diagnostics.

The Cognia Michigan Continuous Improvement Fall Institute will be held on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing, MI. The conference registration link will be available during the first week of September.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Fall 2019 Continuous Improvement Conference will take place November 18-19, 2019. The theme of the two-day conference is “Meeting the Needs of the Whole Child through Systemic Thinking.” All attendees will also participate in a Michigan Integrated Continuous Improvement Process update session.

November 18

Keynote presentation: The conference will kick off with a keynote presentation by Dr. Jim Harris on “Supporting the Whole Child in a Complicated World.”

Breakout sessions: Educators will lead breakout sessions on these topics.

• Building Systems for Continuous Improvement
• Deepening Learning
• Providing Leadership
• Utilizing Data
• Thinking Systemically and Equitably
• Supporting the Whole Child
• Implementing MTSS
• Creating a Positive Climate & Collaborative Culture
• Educational Supports – ISD/ESA/RESA, MDE, Education Organizations

   November 19

Interactive session: Attend a day-long intensive session with Michael Fullan, OC. Fullan is a worldwide authority on educational reform; a prolific, award-winning author whose books have been published in many languages; and an advisor to educational leaders in helping to achieve the moral purpose of all children learning. He is the former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and Professor Emeritus of the University of Toronto.

 Visit the event website for additional information and registration.

The MDE School Improvement Support Unit provides technical assistance and support for ASSIST users. For detailed instructions on submitting reports, please see the Resources section found on the AdvancED/MDE website. Note that there are tabs for Schools, Districts, and Quick Guides along with additional information. Please contact our office if you need further assistance.