Strategic Data Project Convening 2026: Full Schedule

8:00am EDT

Breakfast

Wednesday May 13, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT

Fuel up for the day ahead! Join us for a light breakfast and casual networking before we dive into Convening.

This is your chance to connect with peers, grab a coffee, and get energized for an exciting day of learning and collaboration.

Wednesday May 13, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Reception & Dining

9:00am EDT

Welcome to SDP Convening 2026: Proof Positive

Wednesday May 13, 2026 9:00am - 9:15am EDT

Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Kick off SDP Convening 2026 with a welcome from SDP’s Senior Director, Miriam Greenberg.

As we dive into this year’s theme—"Proof Positive?"—we’ll set the stage for two days of thought-provoking discussions, collaboration, and action.

Get ready to explore how we turn insights into impact and navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Welcome to Cambridge and to SDP Convening 2026!

Speakers

Miriam Greenberg

Director, Strategic Data Project

Wednesday May 13, 2026 9:00am - 9:15am EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

General Session

9:15am EDT

Airplane Mode: The Evidence Behind Cell Phone Bans

Wednesday May 13, 2026 9:15am - 10:30am EDT

Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Research has shown that cell phone use by youth and teens can lead to distractions, cyberbullying, and poor mental health. The national conversation has shifted to taking away students’ phones during the school day as a solution to these challenges. But is it enough? We bring together researchers and state and district perspectives about how cell phone bans have proof of improving students’ wellbeing, what questions we should be asking, and what it looks like to make these policies possible.

Speakers

Justin Reich

Asst. Professor, Teaching Systems Lab

Justin's BioA former high school history teacher, Justin Reich is the Mitsui Career Development Professor of Comparative Media Studies at MIT, the director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab (tsl.mit.edu), the host of the TeachLab podcast (teachlabpodcast.com), and the author of Fai... Read More →

Stephanie Downey Toledo

Superintendent, Central Falls School District

Dr. Stephanie Downey Toledo is the superintendent of the Central Falls School District, an urban district in Rhode Island. While her current district is one of the nation’s smallest urban districts, her career began in our nation’s two largest. She started as a classroom teacher... Read More →

David Figlio

Gordon Fyfe Professor of Economics, University of Rochester

David Figlio conducts research on a wide range of education and health policy issues from school accountability and standards to welfare policy and policy design, as well as the interrelationship between education and health. He also studies aspects of the academic profession itself... Read More →

Eric Mackey

Alabama State Superintendent of Education

Dr. Eric G. Mackey serves as the Alabama State Superintendent of Education, where he leads the state’s efforts to improve student outcomes through his strategic plan, Alabama Achieves. His priorities include the Alabama Literacy Act, Alabama Numeracy Act, STEM education, Career Technical Education... Read More →

Wednesday May 13, 2026 9:15am - 10:30am EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

General Session

12:00pm EDT

Lunch

Wednesday May 13, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm EDT

Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Join us for lunch to connect with peers and new colleagues.

There is no formal programming during lunch.

Wednesday May 13, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Reception & Dining

4:30pm EDT

Meeting the Moment: The Evidence We Have and Need to Address the Education Challenges of Today

Wednesday May 13, 2026 4:30pm - 5:15pm EDT

Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

How can academic research “meet the moment” in a time when school-related crises dominate the headlines, and how do we turn data into real action for students?

In this keynote, Prof. Matt Kraft (Brown University) will explore how evidence can help us better understand what is happening in schools today and guide more effective responses. He will highlight where we have strong proof about what works, as well as the critical questions where evidence is still limited and more research is urgently needed.

Topics will include teacher shortages, COVID recovery and tutoring, climate and environmental pressures on schools, school gun violence, inequitable access to learning time, and related challenges facing educators and systems now.

Speakers

Matthew Kraft

Professor of Education and Economics, Brown University

Dr. Matthew Kraft is a Professor of Education and Economics at Brown University, a Guggenheim Fellow, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and a Fellow with the American Educational Research Association. His research focuses on two primary areas: improving... Read More →

Wednesday May 13, 2026 4:30pm - 5:15pm EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

General Session

6:45pm EDT

Dinner & Data: SDP Convening 2026

Wednesday May 13, 2026 6:45pm - 8:45pm EDT

Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Join us as we kick off Convening with an evening of connection, celebration, and inspiration!

We'll enjoy a plated dinner, reflect on the impact of our shared work, and honor this year’s Strategic Data Excellence Award winner—celebrating powerful, behind-the-scenes data efforts that create real change.

Plus, don’t miss a one-of-a-kind performance by local students from the A Tribe Called Black peer support youth group!

Wednesday May 13, 2026 6:45pm - 8:45pm EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Reception & Dining

8:00am EDT

Breakfast

Thursday May 14, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT

Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Start your morning with a light breakfast and good company before diving into another full day of learning and connection.

It’s the perfect time to reflect on Day 1, meet new colleagues, and gear up for the exciting sessions ahead.

Grab some coffee, fuel up, and let’s get Day 2 started!

Thursday May 14, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Reception & Dining

9:00am EDT

Finding Truth in the Noise: Data, Assessment, and Positive Progress in an AI World

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT

Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

In an era of AI and information overload, how do we focus the narrative on data that is truly helpful for students, families, and educators?

In this fireside chat, CEPR's Dr. Christina Grant and former Education Commissioner of Tennessee, Penny Lee Schwinn, will explore the future of data and assessment in a world where we need to distinguish between signals and noise, use evidence to guide decisions, and empower families and communities with accurate information.

With an anchor in optimism and positive opportunities ahead, this conversation will dig into where we can leverage information in the world we live in today.

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

General Session

12:00pm EDT

Lunch

Thursday May 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm EDT

Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Join us for lunch to connect with peers and new colleagues.

There is no formal programming during lunch.

Thursday May 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Reception & Dining

4:15pm EDT

Brighter Pathways: Connecting High School, College, and the Growing Promise of Two-Year Institutions

Thursday May 14, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT

Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

Join for an Ed Talk style presentation from Professor Shaun Dougherty, spotlighting how we’ve blurred the lines between secondary and postsecondary education. As SDP has expanded intentionally both into early education and postsecondary education, Dr. Daugherty will share what we know about the positive: what pathways smooth the transition, and where are we now with the roles and opportunities of two-year colleges?

Following the Ed-Talk presentation, Rebecca Marshall, SDP’s Associate Director of Programs, will close out with final thoughts.

Speakers

Rebecca Marshall

Associate Director of Programs, SDP, Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard

Rebecca is the Associate Director of Programs for Strategic Data Project at the Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR) at Harvard University. In this role, she manages the Strategic Data Project Fellowship, which works with education agencies to find and train data leaders to... Read More →

Shaun Dougherty

Professor of Education & Policy, Boston College

Shaun M. Dougherty (Ed.D., quantitative policy analysis, Harvard University), is a Professor of Education & Policy at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education & Human Development, the Chair of the Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment Department, and the Director... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
Amesbury Ballroom, Lobby Level

General Session

8:00am EDT

9:00am EDT

9:15am EDT

12:00pm EDT

4:30pm EDT

6:45pm EDT

8:00am EDT

9:00am EDT

12:00pm EDT

4:15pm EDT

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