Evaluating Purpose-Built Digital Curricula That Drive Outcomes: No More Trial-and-Error

Presented by Pam Shaw, Director of K-12 Quality Assurance, Quality Matters; and Dr. Michelle Barrett, SVP of Research, Policy, and Impact, Edmentum Moderated by Tatiana Ciccarelli, National Solutions Director, Edmentum Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features. In an era of growing screen time concerns, K-12 educators face pressure to distinguish between passive, unproductive device use and purposeful edtech that accelerates learning. This edLeader Panel explores how to identify high-quality digital curricula and instructional tools—designed with research-backed principles, supported by evidence, and implemented with intention keeping the educator at the center—that can deliver measurable student outcomes with no need for overuse or misuse. District, school leaders, and state leaders attending this session will learn to identify and implement digital curricula that complement core instruction, address diverse learner needs, and withstand stakeholder scrutiny. Discover what defines high-quality digital tools (rigorous standards alignment, adaptive personalization, educator integration), their proven benefits (improved engagement, attendance, skill mastery), and real-world applications that drive access and opportunity while maintaining academic rigor. This edLeader Panel will be of interest to K-12 school leaders, district leaders, education technology leaders, and state leaders. Pam Shaw is Director of K-12 Quality Assurance for Quality Matters (QM), the global organization leading quality assurance in online and innovative digital teaching and learning environments. She oversees the QM K-12 course-review process and served as Co-chair of the QM K-12 Sixth Edition Rubric Committee. Previously, she was an instructor with Illinois Virtual School, a QM K-12 Master Reviewer, and a QM course facilitator. Her face-to-face teaching background is in music education. Pam is Past-President of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children, Vice President of the Board of Education for Fremont School District 79, and Treasurer of the Chicago Gifted Community Center. Michelle D. Barrett, Ph.D., is the Senior Vice President of Research, Policy, and Impact at Edmentum, where she leads Edmentum’s research agenda and drives innovations in learning and assessment design, both shaped by and shaping education policy. Guided by a belief that evidence must advance educational transformation, Dr. Barrett champions collaborative research and policy initiatives that empower educators and improve student outcomes at scale. Dr. Barrett began as a middle and high school mathematics teacher and has held roles at the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the Colorado Department of Education, CTB/McGraw-Hill, Pacific Metrics, and ACT. She serves on the industry council for the EDSAFE AI Alliance and chaired the inaugural IEEE Industry Consortium on Learning Engineering SIG on AI and Adaptive Technology. Dr. Barrett earned her B.S. from St