Idaho’s Deputy of Assessment Will Help Lead SMARTER Balanced Consortium

The governing member states of the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium elected Dr. Carissa Miller of Boise as the new executive committee co-chair. Miller previously served as an executive committee member. She will replace Tony Alpert, who was named chief operating officer for SMARTER Balanced earlier this month.

Idaho is one of 29 states that make up the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium, which is working to create a common, innovative assessment system for Mathematics and English Language Arts aligned with the Common Core State Standards. The assessment system will better prepare students for college and careers.

Miller is deputy superintendent of the assessment division for the Idaho State Department of Education. She oversees all state testing and is responsible for Adequate Yearly Progress designations under No Child Left Behind, graduation rate calculations and the growth model deployment. Her background includes extensive experience in the development and administration of online assessments and adaptive testing. Since 2004, Idaho’s general education assessment has been fully administered online.

“Carissa has been instrumental to the work of the Consortium as an executive committee member and through her support to the Accessibility and Accommodations work group,” said Judy Park, co-chair of SMARTER Balanced. “I look forward to working with her to lead the development of a next-generation assessment system.”

In partnership with Judy Park, Utah’s associate superintendent for federal programs and student services, Miller will oversee the work of the executive committee and collaborate with SMARTER Balanced staff, leadership and advisory committees.

SMARTER Balanced is a national consortium of states working collaboratively toward the goal of preparing all students for college and careers by creating a comprehensive assessment system for math and English language arts that is aligned to the Common Core State Standards. This rigorous, summative and interim assessment system will include formative processes and tools to help classroom teachers determine how students are progressing toward career and college readiness.

“To be successful, we must create assessments that benefit all member states and provide timely feedback to students, teachers and parents to improve teaching and learning,” Miller said. “I am committed to the work of SMARTER Balanced and remain dedicated to achieving a comprehensive assessment system that transcends state boundaries.”

Miller has served in numerous leadership positions. She is chair of the Education Information Management Advisory Consortium (EIMAC) and past chair of the Northwest Regional Advisory Council. She serves on the Institutional Review Board for Boise State University and has served as a reviewer for the National Research Council. Miller earned her doctorate in education from the University of Idaho.

The Consortium will elect another representative to fill Miller’s position on the executive committee within the next month.