What Center for Assessment does

Center for Assessment, formally The National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment, Inc., is a Dover, New Hampshire-based nonprofit founded in 1998 by Brian Gong and Richard Hill. It provides technical, policy, and practical consulting to U.S. state education agencies and school districts on the design, implementation, and evaluation of K-12 assessment and accountability systems. The organization has supported more than 80 projects nationwide, coordinates Technical Advisory Committees for 18 states while serving on 44 TACs in total, and facilitates ongoing convenings for 40-plus states through the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Named engagements include work with the Mississippi, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Montana, Hawaii, and Maryland state education agencies.

The Center's underlying technology consists of psychometric methodologies and frameworks rather than software products. Its principal proprietary assets are the Student Growth Percentile (SGP) model developed by Damian Betebenner, now in use across more than 30 states, and the Value Tables approach developed by co-founder Richard Hill. Additional frameworks include the Balanced Assessment Systems design methodology for integrating formative, interim, and summative assessments, and through-year assessment design frameworks deployed for clients such as Montana. The Center distributes extensive open-access content, including white papers, policy briefs, toolkits, and guidebooks (e.g., the 2025 NAEd-co-published district implementation guidebook), under a Creative Commons 4.0 license.

The business model is fee-for-service professional services consulting with state education agencies and school districts, supplemented by auxiliary revenue from conferences (notably the annual Reidy Interactive Learning Series), co-published works, and project-specific grants such as funding from Smarter Balanced/UC Santa Cruz. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees, has no outside investors or funding rounds, and in September 2025 transitioned leadership from Scott Marion to Chris Domaleski as Executive Director, with Juan D'Brot and Carla Evans as Associate Directors. As a small, expert-staffed nonprofit, its competitive position rests on talent, embedded state relationships, and field-defining methodologies rather than scale or technology platforms.

Name

Center for Assessment

Legal name

The National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment, Inc.

Website

https://nciea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Center for Assessment is a Dover, NH-based nonprofit founded in 1998 that provides psychometric consulting and policy advisory services on K-12 assessment and accountability systems to U.S. state education agencies and school districts, supported by proprietary methodologies including the SGP growth model used in 30+ states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Assessment Consulting

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Accountability & Performance Frameworks (School/District/Institution Ratings) (EDADAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Assessment & Test Data Integration and Reporting (EDADAIAE), Classroom Assessment & Grading (Formative/Summative) (EDAJAFAC)

Keywords

• Educational assessment consulting
• Accountability system design
• Psychometric measurement services
• Student growth modeling
• Education policy advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Dover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Fee-for-service consulting engagements with state education agencies and school districts for assessment design, implementation, and evaluation services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Center for Assessment provides fee-for-service consulting to state education agencies and school districts for designing, implementing, and evaluating educational assessment and accountability systems. Core service lines cover assessment design (formative, interim/curriculum-embedded, and summative), accountability system design and evaluation, professional learning, and Technical Advisory Committee coordination, supported by proprietary methodologies including the Student Growth Percentile model and the Value Tables approach.

Product overview

The Center for Assessment is a consulting organization that provides technical, policy, and practical expertise to help state and district education leaders build assessment and accountability systems. The core offerings consist of Assessment Design Services and Accountability System Design Services, complemented by Professional Learning Services and Technical Advisory Committee Coordination. Supporting offerings include the Scott Marion Summer Internship Program, the Reidy Interactive Learning Series conference, and a Resources Library featuring publications such as the 'Implementing Balanced Assessment Systems' guidebook and 'Reimagining Balanced Assessment Systems' volume. The organization has worked on more than 80 projects nationwide and facilitates state collaboratives for the Council of Chief State School Officers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Assessment Design Services Fee-for-service consulting for state education agencies and school districts covering the full lifecycle of assessment design: identifying test uses, outlining theories of action, designing balanced systems from formative classroom strategies through large-scale summative assessments, supporting RFP writing for assessment contractors, and monitoring ongoing system quality. Includes specialized expertise for English language learners and students with significant cognitive disabilities.
• Accountability System Design Services Design, implementation, and evaluation of accountability systems reflecting state and district unique needs, values, and contexts. Includes clarifying policy goals, creating theories of action, documenting program assumptions, and evaluating systems for effectiveness, compliance, and technical accuracy. Engagements have included Mississippi's accountability system, Kentucky school performance standards, and Maryland's comprehensive re-envisioning of assessment and accountability.
• Professional Learning Services Professional learning support for educators and policymakers to understand assessment and accountability data, including assessment types for insight into learning at classroom, district, and state levels. Includes facilitation of state collaboratives for the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), the annual Reidy Interactive Learning Series (RILS) conference, and presentations at NCSA, NCME, and AERA conferences, collectively reaching more than 120 state education leaders.
• Technical Advisory Committee Coordination Independent expert advisory services for state and district Technical Advisory Committees on assessment and accountability system design, implementation, and evaluation. The Center currently coordinates TACs for 18 states and school districts and serves on a total of 44 TACs nationwide, providing independent psychometric and policy advice on technical quality.
• Scott Marion Summer Internship Program in Educational Assessment and Accountability An 8-week onsite internship for advanced doctoral students in educational measurement and/or assessment and accountability policy, hosted at the Center's Dover, New Hampshire office. Provides a stipend, housing allowance, and relocation expenses for selected participants working alongside Center senior associates on active projects.
• Implementing Balanced Assessment Systems: A Practical Guidebook for Districts & Schools A practical guidebook co-published with the National Academy of Education to help school and district leaders implement balanced assessment systems. Written by Center experts Carla Evans, Caroline Wylie, Erika Landl, and Scott Marion, and available through the Center's resource library for district and school leaders.
• Reimagining Balanced Assessment Systems A volume co-edited by Scott Marion for the National Academy of Education that expands understanding of balanced assessment systems and centers equitable teaching and learning. Supported by funding from Smarter Balanced/University of California Santa Cruz and forms the conceptual basis for the subsequent 'Implementing Balanced Assessment Systems' guidebook.
• Resources Library Freely available evidence-based resources covering key issues in educational assessment and accountability, including white papers, policy briefs, videos, and toolkits. Available under Creative Commons 4.0 license for self-service access by education professionals, policymakers, and researchers, drawing on knowledge accumulated across more than 80 projects.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Academy of Education (NAEd)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2025Co-published 'Implementing Balanced Assessment Systems: A Practical Guidebook for Districts & Schools' with the National Academy of Education, building on the 2024 NAEd volume 'Reimagining Balanced Assessment Systems'.
• Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (JCSEE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2025Juan D'Brot reelected to executive committee of JCSEE, which develops and promotes standards for conducting high-quality evaluations. The committee is currently updating Program Evaluation Standards and will revise Classroom Assessment Standards.
• National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2025Scott Marion serves as one of three measurement professionals on the 26-member board that sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation's Report Card.
• American Educational Research Association (AERA), American Psychological Association (APA), and National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2024Center staff (Cara Laitusis, Laura Hamilton) serve on the Joint Committee revising the 'Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing', the authoritative reference for technical quality in educational testing sponsored by AERA, APA, and NCME.
• Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership facilitating three state collaboratives for CCSSO focused on balanced assessment, accountability systems and reporting, and technical issues in large-scale assessments. The Center facilitates ongoing conversations with 40-plus states on assessment practice through CCSSO's collaborative framework.
• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to define the elements of a healthy assessment culture that supports high-quality teaching and learning in schools.
• International Baccalaureate (IB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced a series of literature reviews defining complex 21st century competencies (creativity, ethical thinking) and providing recommendations for assessing these skills for IB.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RAND Corporation: Nonprofit research institution with a prominent education policy and assessment practice conducting large-scale studies and policy analysis for state and federal education clients.
• Mathematica: Nonpartisan research and consulting firm with a major education division conducting program evaluations and policy analysis for federal, state, and district clients — competing for the same accountability and program evaluation engagements.
• Education Northwest: Nonprofit education research and consulting organization serving states, districts, and the federal government on assessment, accountability, and school improvement with comparable client types.
• WestEd: Nonprofit education research and consulting organization that serves state education agencies and districts on assessment, accountability, and school improvement — directly overlapping the Center for Assessment's mission and customer base.
• American Institutes for Research (AIR): Large nonprofit behavioral and social science research organization with a substantial education assessment, evaluation, and accountability practice serving federal, state, and district clients — competing for similar state assessment contracts.
• HumRRO: Nonprofit research organization specializing in psychometrics, assessment design, and personnel selection — directly comparable in psychometric methodology and state/federal assessment consulting work.
• Buros Center for Testing: University-affiliated center that evaluates commercially published tests and supports professional standards in assessment — overlapping with the Center for Assessment's psychometric and standards-setting work.

Others

• Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO): Nonprofit membership organization of state education chiefs that the Center partners with to run assessment collaboratives — not a direct competitor but a closely linked ecosystem participant shaping the same policy agenda.

Broad incumbents

• Educational Testing Service (ETS): Large-scale assessment organization that designs and administers standardized tests and conducts research in educational measurement — broader portfolio but overlapping subject matter and standards influence.

Emerging players

• Regional Educational Laboratories (REL) Program: Federally funded network of 10 laboratories that provide research, training, and technical assistance to state and district education stakeholders on assessment and accountability — partial overlap in mission and customer set.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Center-for-Assessment
• Xx.com/NCIEA1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Assessment