Brian Gong most enjoys helping states and other educational entities solve complex, challenging problems of assessment and accountability design and implementation, bringing together policy/values, educational, technical, and operational expertise. Brian has helped develop solutions including educationally valuable and technically defensible state accountability systems and innovative assessments (e.g., science performance, writing portfolio, learning progressions, growth, non-cognitive, comprehensive assessment systems).
Brian has been involved with creating policies, models, and criteria for promoting validity, reliability, and credibility in both assessments and accountability systems through work with groups such as the U.S. Department of Education (co-author of Accountability Peer Review guidance; Growth Model Pilot guidance), Council of Chief State School Officers (author of documents on the design of accountability systems and balanced assessment systems), National Center for Educational Outcomes (author of research reports on standardization and reliability for assessment systems for students with disabilities), and several state Technical Advisory Committees. In addition, Brian’s recent work has included development of standards and criteria for the design and evaluation of assessment programs (comprehensive alignment; interim assessments; Next Generation Science Standards) and accountability programs (meeting policy and technical goals and integrating with support and improvement). He was a member of the committee tasked with revising the Standards of Educational and Psychological Testing and was the co-author of content methodology to implement the CCSSO Criteria for Procuring and Evaluating High-Quality Assessments.
Prior to co-founding the Center for Assessment, Brian was responsible for curriculum, assessment, and accountability in the Kentucky Department of Education. Before that Brian was a Research Scientist at Educational Testing Service, where his primary focus was on developing innovative classroom assessments that combined cognitive science, technology, and robust instructional models.
Brian received a Ph.D. from Stanford University with a concentration in the Design and Evaluation of Educational Programs.
Brian values the human and technical aspects of creating responsive educational assessment and accountability systems. Centrally concerned with validity, Brian brings a critical focus on content, construct, consequences, and systems integration.
Recent and Relevant Publications
Domaleski, C., D’Brot, J., Pinsonneault, L., Gong, B., & Brandt, C. (2023). The Path Forward for School Accountability: Practical Ways to Improve School Accountability Systems Now. National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment.
Lorié, W., & Gong, B. (2021). Assessment framework development processes. Human Resources Research Organization.
Dadey, N. & Gong, B. (2017). Using interim assessments in place of summative assessments? Consideration of an ESSA option.
Gong, B. & Patelis, T. (2016). Guide to evaluating assessments using the CCSSO criteria for high-quality assessments: Focus on test content.
Gong, B. & DePascale, C. (2013). Different but the same: assessment "comparability" in the era of the Common Core State Standards. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers.
Hess, K., Gong, B., & Steinitz, R. (2014). Ready for College and Career? Achieving the Common Core Standards and Beyond Through Deeper, Student-Centered Learning. Quincy, MA: Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
Gong, B. (2010). Using Balanced Assessment Systems to Improve Student Learning and School Capacity: An Introduction. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers.
Perie, M., Marion, S., & Gong, B. (2009). Moving towards a comprehensive assessment system: A framework for considering interim assessments. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 28(3), 2009, pp. 5-13.
