Researcher Bios:

Mike joined NWEA in 2007 as a research associate after working as a research analyst for the Oregon Department of Human Services. He has also worked as an adjunct and visiting psychology professor at Pacific University. Mike’s recent NWEA work includes extensive research and reporting to examine the effectiveness of the No Child Left Behind Act. His professional affiliations include the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, Society for Research in Child Development, the American Educational Research Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education. Mike holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Pennsylvania State University, a M.S. in Psychology from Western Washington University, and a B.A. in Biology from Pomona College.

If you could live anywhere, where would that be?

I’ve had the good luck to visit most of the U.S. states and quite a few countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas.  But the U.S. west coast is my home and my favorite place to be. If I could live anywhere, it would be in a house with an ocean view somewhere on Puget Sound.  And since reality is of no concern, I think I’ll just move into Rosario’s on Orcas Island (so long as their staff stays on to maintain everything). 

What intrigues you most about the work you do?

Center, our researchers have a range of backgrounds, with expertise in education, measurement, psychology, sociology, and we all bring unique perspectives to our work. For me, the best part of my job is learning new skills, perspectives, and strategies from my colleagues, and applying them to new studies and projects as they emerge.

What are your three favorite things to do when you’re not working?

If “favorite” means the things I spend the most time doing, these would be changing diapers, doing chores/home repairs, and paying bills.  As for the things I do for myself, I like to cook, ride my bike, write, take pictures and home movies of my daughters, and listen to/play music.

What are you reading right now?

Currently I have three partially finished books on my bedside table, and not enough time to read them.  At the moment, I’m reading the new(ish) biography on Malcolm X by Manning Marrable, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”, by John Le Carré, and “Moneyball” by Michael Lewis.

If you had the authority to make one major national educational policy change, what would it be?

I would completely overhaul student testing under NCLB/ESEA.  First of all, I would link all state tests to a single common scale (e.g., the NAEP scale) so that direct comparisons of test performance across states would be straightforward.  I would also set consistent proficiency standards (that is, the minimum passing scores on state tests) across grades and states, so that decisions about school improvement and/or accountability could be based on meaningful information.  Under current policies, states can adjust their proficiency standards up or down arbitrarily, and they have no connection to any external measures of student academic achievement.  When I am Education Czar, proficiency standards will have real meaning, so that when students meet those standards, it will have bearing on their future academic prospects and likely success.