Center for Measurement Justice

Today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and to honor his legacy CMJ asks our community a critical question regarding something he once said.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We ask: In what ways do you envision your research contributing to the “mighty streams” of justice? What systemic dams obstruct its flow?

Please comment your thoughts below.

Dr. Jade Caines Lee, one of CMJ’s Faculty Fellow Mentors will be leading a valuable Professional Development Session on "Helpful How-to's for Aspiring Faculty: Developing a Course." These sessions are part of our mentorship program that supports Black, Brown, and Indigenous PhD scholars in the field of educational measurement. Please share this event with your network!

Session Description:
Are you looking for some support in teaching higher education students? Or perhaps you are thinking about being a faculty member after graduation but are nervous about how to develop your very own course? In this session you will learn how to develop a syllabi, how to manage student expectations, and how to set yourself up for success to receive positive student evaluations.

When:
Friday, January 31st, 2025 from 1:00 - 2:00 pm EST

Register in advance here :

https://lnkd.in/gF3df_Bg

Happy New Year from CMJ, and for our final Mentor Highlight Monday we want to introduce you to Fatima T. Zahra, Ph.D., a CMJ Mentor who leads mentoring groups, Writing Accountability Circles, and Professional Development sessions for our network of doctoral students in educational measurement.

Dr. Fatima T. Zahra is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, specializing in the intersection of artificial intelligence, education, and labor markets. Her research focuses on developing innovative solutions to address inequality and poverty, with a particular emphasis on shaping the future of learning and work. Dr. Zahra’s research on program and policy evaluation, culturally responsive evaluation and assessment methods, global health, and forced migration challenges offers a critical perspective on how technology, learning, and work intersect across local and global contexts. Her work brings valuable insights into the potential of AI and the ethical considerations necessary for shaping the future of educational research and practice. With a mission to optimize human potential, Dr. Zahra founded the Artificial Intelligence, Race, and Evaluation (AIRELab) in September 2023. The lab is dedicated to designing and leveraging AI-powered interventions and evaluations that are fair, transparent, and inclusive. Dr. Zahra holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania and completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Business School and the T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Prior to her current role, she served as a research scientist at New York University and as the Research Director at UPenn’s PDRI-DevLab. Dr. Zahra is affiliated with the South Asia Institute at Harvard. She is also on the editorial board of the American Journal of Evaluation and contributes to significant interdisciplinary research initiatives.

Outside of work she love spending time meditating, boxing, and practicing yoga—it is her way of grounding herself. She also enjoys exploring creative outlets like writing, whether it’s journaling or working on opinion pieces. Food is another joy for her—She can never say no to a good pizza and is always on the hunt for new spots to try. On quieter days, she enjoys reflecting, reading, and just enjoying moments of stillness. She asks herself: "What does my soul need today?" This is how she stays connected to her cause.

Exciting Opportunity! 2025 JMU Summer Internship

Are you passionate about Assessment, Quantitative Psychology, Statistics, or Measurement? This is your chance to gain paid, hands-on research experience and explore graduate school opportunities.

Details:
• Assessment 101 training
• Work on research projects with faculty and graduate student mentors
• Virtual and in-person options available
• Build connections with experts in the field
• Learn about graduate programs and career pathways

Dates: June 10 – July 25, 2025
Applications Open: January 3, 2025
Application Deadline: February 18, 2025

Learn more and apply: https://www.jmu.edu/assessment/recruiting/internship.shtml

CMJ will be sponsoring one of these interns.

BIPOC, LGBTQ+, first-generation, and diverse students are encouraged to apply.

This Mentor Highlight Monday we want to introduce you to Dr. Jade Caines Lee, a CMJ Mentor who leads mentoring groups, Writing Accountability Circles, and Professional Development sessions for our network of doctoral students in educational measurement.

Jade Caines Lee, PhD, is President of JCRG USA Inc., an educational consulting firm which has assisted clients with research, assessment and evaluation needs for over a decade. She is also an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Kansas’ Achievement and Assessment Institute within the Center for Learner Agency Research and Action. She has been a career educator, teaching P-12, undergraduate, and graduate students for over 20 years. She has presented and published in the areas of validity, classroom assessment, evaluation research, and fairness issues in the educational measurement field.

Prior to her arrival at University of Kansas, she spent time as an Assistant Professor at University of New Hampshire and Clark Atlanta University. She also spent almost 2 years as an Institute of Education Sciences’ postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and almost 10 years as a K-12 public school teacher in New York City and the metro-Atlanta, GA regions. Also, Dr. Lee has worked as a researcher for several organizations, including CRESST at UCLA.

Dr. Lee received her undergraduate degree in Urban Education from Stanford University, her master’s degree in Teaching Secondary English, Grades 7-12 from Brooklyn College, and her doctorate in Educational Studies from Emory University.

For fun, she enjoys spending time with her 3 energetic kids (ages 8, 6, and 5) where playing puzzles, having at-home dance parties, and snuggling are always go-to activities.

This Mentor Highlight Monday we want to introduce you to Dr. Joseph Rios, a CMJ Mentor who leads mentoring groups, Writing Accountability Circles, and Professional Development sessions for our network of doctoral students in educational measurement.

Joseph A. Rios is the Head of Research at the Center for Measurement Justice. He holds a Ph.D. in educational measurement and psychometrics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Prior to joining CMJ, he was an assistant professor of quantitative methodology at the University of Minnesota and a research scientist at the Educational Testing Service. To date, he has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals such as Educational Researcher, Educational and Psychological Measurement, Applied Psychological Measurement, and Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice. His work has been cited over 2,400 times in academic journals, popular media outlets (e.g., Fast Company), and reports by the World Bank. He received the Jason Millman Promising Measurement Scholar Award from the National Council on Measurement in Education for recognition of his research contributions. He is also the founder of Grad Student Academy, an organization that helps PhD students and postdocs learn how to write and publish their research. Joseph enjoys spending time with his wife, exploring the diverse cultural scene in San Diego, and playing pickleball with friends.

This Friday! Join us for the third session of The Center for Measurement Justice's Speaker Series dedicated to discussing fairness issues in educational, psychological, and medical assessments. We are proud to announce Dr. Micheal Walker, Principal Scientist at Human Resources Research Organization (HumRO), as our guest speaker this month focusing on "Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Assessment: Problems and Prospects". This session will take place on Friday, December 6th from 1pm - 2pm EST, and registration in advance is required. Register here:
bit.ly/3OlV8UG

Presentation Summary:
Universal Design for Learning Guidelines (CAST, 2018) call for providing multiple means of (a) engagement, (b) representation, and (c) action and expression. Adherence to these guidelines when assessing individuals means paying attention to the culture and language of the assessed. This cultural-linguistic responsiveness comes at a cost often overlooked by its advocates. In this talk, I will outline a few of the challenges we must face with courage if we are to achieve equity in assessment.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with cutting-edge ideas and contribute to advancing fairness in assessment. Register now to secure your spot

This Mentor Highlight Monday we want to introduce you to Dr. Malena Oliveri, a CMJ Mentor who leads mentoring groups, Writing Accountability Circles, and Professional Development sessions for our network of doctoral students in educational measurement.

Maria Elena (Malena) Oliveri is a Research Associate Professor at Purdue University, College of Engineering. Her expertise is on assessing workplace-relevant competencies, educational measurement, fairness, validity, and culturally and linguistically responsive assessment. She has served in multiple leadership roles including the International Test Commission (ITC) Council Member, Chair for the ITC Guidelines for the Fair and Valid Assessment of Linguistically Diverse Populations, Steering Committee for the ITC Technology-Based Assessment Guidelines, and ITC Chair of Publications. She also was the President of the Learning Assistance Teachers Association. She has over 100 publications and presentations on these topics with a focus on the design, development, and use of different types of assessment (e.g., assessment for learning, formative assessments).

Malena is passionate about assessment for learning and conducting research on workplace readiness and preparation, upskilling, measurement, and psychometrics. She has been a mentor for several years. She enjoys an active style of mentoring, providing support to her mentees regularly working with them to pursue their dreams in educational measurement and assessment particularly assessment focusing on supporting culturally and linguistically diverse populations.

Malena enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, learning, and speaking different languages (e.g., English, Spanish, French, Italian).

Reflecting on Thanksgiving
As many prepare to gather with loved ones this Thanksgiving, it’s crucial to reflect on the full history behind this day. For centuries, the narrative of Thanksgiving has often overlooked the realities of genocide, colonialism, and land theft endured by Indigenous peoples.
For many Indigenous communities, Thanksgiving is observed as a Day of Mourning—a time to remember the pain and loss caused by these historical injustices. This perspective challenges us to think critically about how we “celebrate” and whose stories we center.
We encourage you to take time tomorrow to reflect on this history, listen to and uplift Indigenous voices, and explore ways to take meaningful action. Sharing this message with your network is one way to start important conversations.

Join us for the third session of The Center for Measurement Justice's Speaker Series dedicated to discussing fairness issues in educational, psychological, and medical assessments. We are proud to announce Dr. Micheal Walker, Principal Scientist at Human Resources Research Organization (HumRO), as our guest speaker this month focusing on "Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Assessment: Problems and Prospects". This session will take place on Friday, December 6th from 10 - 11 am EST, and registration in advance is required. Register here:
https://measurementjustice-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwoc--przwtHdH_9D8ivHqu4ME_UQf4QQ0D

Presentation Summary:
Universal Design for Learning Guidelines (CAST, 2018) call for providing multiple means of (a) engagement, (b) representation, and (c) action and expression. Adherence to these guidelines when assessing individuals means paying attention to the culture and language of the assessed. This cultural-linguistic responsiveness comes at a cost often overlooked by its advocates. In this talk, I will outline a few of the challenges we must face with courage if we are to achieve equity in assessment.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with cutting-edge ideas and contribute to advancing fairness in assessment. Register now to secure your spot!

This Mentor Highlight Monday we want to introduce you to Dr. Kyndra Middleton, a CMJ Mentor who leads mentoring groups, Writing Accountability Circles, and Professional Development sessions for our network of doctoral students in educational measurement.

Kyndra V. Middleton, PhD is a Professor of Educational Psychology and Chair of the Department of Human Development and Psychoeducational Studies at Howard University. She teaches statistics and measurement courses, serves as the primary methodologist for the school, and sits on numerous university-wide committees. She also serves on the Executive Council of the National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences. Dr. Middleton's research focuses on ensuring validity, equity, and fairness for all students as well as increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in STEM fields. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Educational Measurement and Statistics from The University of Iowa and her B.S. in Mathematical Sciences from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. A native of Walterboro, SC and a proud graduate of an HBCU, she also serves as the Higher Education committee chair for the DC Metro HBCU Alumni Alliance. In her spare time, she enjoys playing sports, running, traveling, and baking.

Join our second Professional Development session of the academic year with Dr Kyndra Middleton and student presenter Ferdinand “Banji” Kumolalo. These sessions are part of our mentorship program and currated towards Black and Brown doctoral scholars in educational measurement.

This discussion will lay the foundation for the need to pay closer attention to the item writing process in standardized testing and more specifically to the item writers themselves. Results from this empirical study will examine the relationship between item writer characteristics, self-perception, and personality as we delve into this arguably critical, yet overlooked, component of the test development process.

Registration in advance is required for this event. Register here :
https://measurementjustice-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qfuCsrj0sG9SeXswn8sVB9DYYNxfekuYq

It's our first Mentor Highlight Monday where we will introduce you to the CMJ Mentors who lead mentoring groups, Writing Accountability Circles, and Professional Development sessions for our network of doctoral students in educational measurement.

Dr. Justin Kern is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He received his MA in Psychology, MS in Statistics, and Ph.D. in Quantitative Psychology from UIUC, and his BS in Psychology and Mathematics from Central Michigan University. As a measurement scholar, his research seeks to produce and investigate quantitative methods for the modeling of psychological and educational traits, the construction of tests and measurement tools, and the investigation of behavioral data, primarily through the lens of item response theory (IRT). Specifically, he is interested in adaptive testing, the use of response times in times, and the development of models accounting for various nuisance effects. Born and raised in Flint, MI, he is a proud member of both the Mexican American community and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Outside of work, Justin enjoys spending time with his family, watching Illini and Detroit sports, and playing music in several ensembles in Central Illinois.

My name is Nisha and I am the Research Scientist, Stafford Hood Fellow at the Center for Measurement Justice.

I feel passionate about my role at CMJ because it is an opportunity to advance equity in a multitude of pathways to disrupt systemic racism through rigorous research and meaningful measurement. Throughout my professional journey, I have had the privilege of working directly with students and educators in various capacities, from teaching both in K-12 and higher education, to leading program initiatives and conducting research in various spaces to ensure fairness while taking steps to move towards liberation. These experiences have fueled my commitment to ensuring that people, especially minoritized people, receive the support and resources to thrive and sustain thriving in the U.S.

I am eager to not only leverage my expertise but to also learn from everyone to drive innovative solutions that empower communities, educators, and students.

If I had to describe myself, I would say I am a dedicated researcher because I genuinely believe in the transformative power of education and data through genuine curiosity, active learning, and active listening to seek innovation that makes an impact and a difference.

I look forward to collaborating and serving with all of you to deepen our impact together.

CMJ’s Graduate Summer Internship offers doctoral scholars in the field of educational measurement the opportunity to work under a CMJ mentor professional on a project in their field of study. Read through the internship highlights from this past summer on our website at https://measurementjustice.org/2024/10/23/cmj-2024-graduate-summer-internship-highlights/

Join us for the second session of The Center for Measurement Justice's Speaker Series dedicated to discussing fairness issues in educational, psychological, and medical assessments. We are proud to announce Dr. David Sul, Professor at the University of the Virgin Islands, as our guest speaker this month focusing on "Building the Theoretical Infrastructure for the Liberatory Praxis of Large-Scale Culturally Specific Assessment".

Presentation Summary: How can large-scale culturally specific assessment research contribute to BIPOC peoples’ aspirations for autonomy, self-determination, and liberation? As a measurement-based theoretical framework, the Disjuncture-response Dialectic is a theoretical framework that situates the work of culturally specific assessment developers within a swirling environment of sociohistorical factors, cultural aspirations, and uplifting directions. The instruments developed within this environment contain an acknowledgment of the historical legacy of slavery, institutional racism, settler colonialism, and their impact on measurement disjuncture. Simultaneously, the work of culturally specific assessment developers serves as a political act of structural amplification and liberation that challenges structural elimination. An overview of this environmental space wherein developers of culturally specific assessment instruments function is presented.

Event Details:
Date: Friday, November 1st, 2024
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 pm EDT
Location: Zoom
Registration: bit.ly/3zFkYiN

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with cutting-edge ideas and contribute to advancing fairness in assessment. Register now to secure your spot!

Join us in celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day today