Student Feedback: A Complementary Performance Indicator to Student Test Data
We are witnessing a relatively unprecedented moment, at least in recent history, as the U.S. Department of Education and the philanthropic community work together in new ways to advance a common vision...
View ArticleStudent Feedback: The Missing Piece in Education Reform
We are in the midst of an unprecedented period of experimentation across the US education system. Check out any of the recent debates on proposed teacher assessment systems or commentary on the DC...
View ArticleYouthTruth: Engaging Staff and Students in Gathering and Processing Feedback
“You don’t need lots of gimmicks. All I need to know is that you are going to listen and take my feedback seriously.” I heard this time and time again when we were talking to students early in the...
View ArticleAge is Not a Prerequisite for Insight
When I joined CEP in 2008, YouthTruth was simply an idea on a piece of paper. Our goal was to bring new voices, those of the beneficiary, to bear on the decision-making of school leaders, those who...
View ArticleStudent Feedback: A Missing Link in Education Reform
The following post by Valerie Threlfall, Director of CEP’s West Coast office, was originally published on the Huffington Post. With Joel Klein’s resignation as New York City schools chief, close on the...
View ArticleListening to Beneficiaries: Why Are We So Bad At It?
CEP has been actively exploring the topic of beneficiary feedback through its YouthTruth project since 2008. We were very pleased to share what we are learning – and to challenge the status quo — on...
View ArticleYouthTruth Announces Strategic Partnership with The New Teacher Project
I am pleased to announce a new partnership between YouthTruth and The New Teacher Project, which will bring student perspectives to teacher performance evaluations. See the video below for details or...
View ArticleYouthTruth: Engaging Staff and Students in Gathering and Processing Feedback
Valerie Threlfall shares two keys to transforming student feedback into meaningful change in high schools. The post YouthTruth: Engaging Staff and Students in Gathering and Processing Feedback appeared...
View ArticleAge is Not a Prerequisite for Insight
Valerie Threlfall challenges education funders and leaders to listen to students’ thoughtful feedback and to recognize that youth add an important perspective to education reform discussions. The post...
View ArticleStudent Feedback: A Missing Link in Education Reform
Valerie Threlfall shares a post that was originally published on the Huffington Post: "Student Feedback: A Missing Link in Education Reform." The post Student Feedback: A Missing Link in Education...
View ArticleListening to Beneficiaries: Why Are We So Bad At It?
CEP has been actively exploring the topic of beneficiary feedback through its YouthTruth project since 2008. We were very pleased to share what we are learning – and to challenge […] The post Listening...
View ArticleYouthTruth Announces Strategic Partnership with The New Teacher Project
I am pleased to announce a new partnership between YouthTruth and The New Teacher Project, which will bring student perspectives to teacher performance evaluations. See the video below for details. […]...
View ArticleImagining a World Where Beneficiary Feedback is the Norm
I was extremely heartened to read CEP’s latest research report, Hearing from Those We Seek to Help: Nonprofit Practices and Perspectives in Beneficiary Feedback. In particular, it was amazing to see...
View ArticleGetting on the Same Page: Defining Perceptual Feedback
The other week, I was presenting at a conference about the importance of nonprofits systematically eliciting perceptual feedback from clients, or those they seek to help, about how things are […] The...
View ArticleTurning the Rhetoric of Listening Into Genuine Practice
During the past 15 years, I’ve spent a lot of time (some might say an unusual amount, even) thinking about the importance of gathering and responding to feedback from the […] The post Turning the...
View ArticleFulfilling Philanthropy’s COVID-19 Pledge: Listening in a Time of Crisis
As COVID-19’s rapid spread has wreaked havoc on our sector, more than 550 foundations (at the time of writing) have signed a pledge to support our nonprofit partners and the […] The post Fulfilling...
View ArticleFeedback’s Role in Shifting Power to Those Least Heard
In the past few years, there have been a lot of urgent conversations about the need to center work on communities, commit to equity, and rethink how systems like philanthropy […] The post Feedback’s...
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