Measuring and Monitoring Equity

Margo Roen is Education First’s Principal of Innovative Systems and Schools, where she works with school districts, state education agencies, foundations, researchers, and nonprofits across the country to create conditions where innovations to solve systemic issues of inequity can flourish. Her current portfolio of work includes supporting SEAs and LEAs across the country, including supporting the Texas Education Agency’s System of Great Schools Network and multiple districts within that Network through a Chief Innovation Officer Workshops; coaching SEAs & CMOs through an Equity by Design approach to innovate in state assessment; and developing a district Chief Innovation Officer Toolkit in partnership with The Broad Foundation and NewSchools Venture Fund. Prior to serving at EdFirst, Margo was a founding member of Tennessee’s Achievement School District, where she started the organization’s new schools work and grew to oversee the strategy, policy, and portfolio management functions as the Deputy Superintendent. She has sixteen years of experience in public education, and is devoted to equity and impact for kids and families. Her background includes working as an educator at the school (charter and traditional), city, and state level; as a teacher, administrator, and policy maker; and in Memphis, where she lives, and across the country. Margo holds a masters of public policy from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University and undergraduate degrees from Tulane University. She serves on boards of multiple nonprofit boards, including as Vice Chair of The Memphis Lift.

Dr. Gross serves as the Chief Equitable Innovation Officer in Manor ISD.

Amanda Aiken is a Doctoral Student at Harvard University and is the Principal Consultant of A.Leigh Solutions, an educational consulting group that provides support to districts, CMOs, non-profits, and government entities who serve or impact children and families Most recently Amanda served as the Senior Chief and Schools Officer for NOLA Public Schools. This was a critical role for a district that recently regained oversight and regulation of schools from state control. Before serving in this role Ms. Aiken was the Chief of External Relations for the Orleans Parish School Board. Prior to her work on the district level, Aiken worked for the New Orleans College Prep Charter Management Organization in numerous roles including Senior Director of Schools, Resident Principal, and most notably she served as the Turnaround Principal for Lawrence D. Crocker College Prep. Before moving to New Orleans, Aiken taught 4th grade in Gwinnett County, Georgia. In addition to her work on the Pre-K- 12 level, Amanda is an Adjunct Professor with Relay Graduate School of Education, and she served as an Internship Coach with the Summer Principals' Academy with Teachers College, Columbia University. Aiken is a Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude graduate of Spelman College, where she earned her BA in Child Development/Teacher Certification. She obtained her Masters Degree in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. Amanda is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and The Links Incorporated.