From Vision to Reality: A Cross-School Design Lab
About this Event
The Challenge
Many Massachusetts schools have a Vision of a Learner but few have operationalized it into the classroom. The new MA graduation framework offers a historic opportunity to shift from seat-time to evidence-based competency determination. But it also brings a new challenge: How do you ensure proficiency is consistent and rigorous across every teacher and pathway?
The Opportunity
Join a small cohort of MA leadership teams to move beyond theory and into the practical details of learner-centered implementation.
- Analyze student work (Capstones, Projects, Portfolios) for inspiration from current bright spots
- Build a roadmap for competency determination that makes flexible pathways credible.
- Design proactive systems before state requirements lead to reactive scrambling.
- Collaborate with peers from across the region to shape innovation in MA.
This is not a sit-and-get workshop; it is a working lab. You bring the work; we provide the protocols and the peer network.
Two Windows – Choose Your Entry Point
SUCCESSFULLY HAPPENED! JUNE 9, 2026 | 9:00am–3:00pm | NEASC, Lowell The Strategic Retrospective Ideal for teams ready to reflect on this year’s student work while it’s fresh. We know June is a whirlwind—this date is for the lead teams who want to use the end-of-year momentum to marinate on designs over the summer.
AUGUST 12, 2026 | 9:00am–3:00pm | NEASC, Lowell The Implementation Launch Ideal for teams seeking breathing room and a strategic head-start. We’ll focus on final state requirement clarity and setting the baseline for the 2026-27 school year.
Attend one or both. June’s reflections will directly inform August’s design sprint.
If you prefer to pay via PO/invoice rather than securing tickets here, simply email us and we can arrange that for you.
The Lab Experience
Morning: Student Work Analysis
- Use evidence-based protocols to analyze current capstone and portfolio artifacts.
- Where do we see Vision of a Learner competencies showing up (or not)?
- How do we build shared understanding across teachers and schools?
Lunch: Making Sense of the Moment
- A strategic briefing on new MA requirements as a lever for innovation, not just compliance.
Afternoon: Design Sprint Choose a focus area to build or refine your system:
- Capstone/Senior Project systems and rubrics.
- Portfolio structures that show longitudinal growth.
- Assessment protocols that validate non-traditional evidence.
What Makes This Different
✓ Cross-school learning - You'll work alongside 3-6 other MA schools, learning from each other's bright spots and challenges
✓ Real student work - We start with evidence, not theory
✓ Practical focus - You'll leave with tools, protocols, and next steps (not just inspiration)
✓ Competency determination lens - This is where the rubber meets the road: How do you actually validate that students have demonstrated your VoG competencies (and academic expectations)?
✓ Backstory included - Not just "here's what great looks like" but "here's how we got there" (and where we struggled)
Facilitators: Laurie Gagnon, Laurie Gagnon Consulting (Former Director of CompetencyWorks). Abby Benedetto, Core Shifts.
Hosted by NEASC | Limited to 45 participants to maintain a collaborative lab format.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 150.00 to USD 321.96
