Past Award Winners

WERA Research Awards:

April 2021 to Dr. Randi Freeman for research on the use of the Danielson Framework to evaluate teachers in EL programs

December 2017 to Dr. Johnny Lupinacci

December 2016 to Dr. Marcus Poppen for research on supporting career development and employment outcomes for young adults with disabilities

March 2012 to Washington State Board of Education for the development of the State Achievement Index

March 2007 to SESRC Center – Olympia for the body of work related to college preparation and post-secondary outcomes

March 2006 Steve Hirsch for research correlating oral reading fluency with WASL performance

March 2005 to Michael Riley for the body of research on math and science standards

March 2004 to Jeff Fouts for the body of research on Educational Reform

March 2003 to Debbie McGhee for the study of the “WASL and Higher Education Indicators”

March 2003 to Cathy Taylor for contributions to the research literature on student assessment in Washington State

March 1999 to Carl Hauser for research on “Scaling Running Records Passages for Precise Reading Assessment”

 

WERA Product Awards: These awards recognize outstanding professional products related to assessment, evaluation, or research.

April 2021 to Cultivate Learning at University of Washington College of Education for the Implementation Development Map (IDM)

December 2019 to Puyallup School District for "Math Quick Checks"

December 2018 to CSTP and Educator Effectiveness Office at OSPI for student surveys aligned with instructional frameworks; and to Brian Gabele for his peer school analysis and data visualization tool.

December 2016 to Greg Lobdell, Center for Educational Effectiveness, for the statewide accountability and improvement data base to recognize schools making substantial growth

December 2015 to Education Research and Data Center (ERDC) for creating a data system/warehouse.

December 2014 to OSPI Report Card Development Team for Leadership in the Development of the Washington State Report Card

December 2012 to Scott Poirier and Dana Anderson for leadership in the development of eVAL Washington

March 2012 to Kieran Edmundson for proctor training PowerPoint wor

March 2007 to Mike Knapp and Mike Copland for the series entitled “Improving Leadership for Learning”

March 2006 to Lesley Klenk, Nikki Elliott-Schuman, and Bev Neitzel for outstanding professional products related to statewide assessments

March 2005 to Cathy Grimes for her series of newspaper articles in Walla Walla on “No Child Left Behind”

March 2005 to Sue Shannon for the document “Characteristics of Improved School District: Themes for Research”

March 2002 to Geoff Praeger for development of the “Assessment Coordinator’s Notebook”

March 1999 to the Bethel School District for materials on WASL and norm-referenced testing practices

March 1999 to the Washington Forest Protection Association for its environmental education materials

 

WERA Gordon B. Ensign Jr. Service Award:

April 2021 to Greg Lobdell

December 2019 to Marge Plecki

December 2018 to Nancy Herzog, Brian Loffer, Brian Rick and Dawn Wakeley

December 2017 to Dr. Gail E. Joseph

December 2016 to Chuck Salina

December 2015 to Pete Bylsma

December 2014 to Cathy Fromme

December 2013 to Ric Williams

December 2012 to Bob Silverman

March 2008 to Joe Willhoft

March 2007 to Peter Hendrickson

March 2004 to Ken Sirotnik

March 2003 to Terry Bergeson

March 1999 initial award to Gordon B. Ensign

 

Art Maser Service Awards:

April 2023 to Min-Anh Hodge

April 2021 to Paul Stern

December 2018 to Pete Bylsma

December 2018 to Christopher Hanczrik

December 2017 to Dr. Fengyi Hung

December 2016 to Karen Banks

December 2015 to Jodi Bongard

December 2014 to Kathryn Sprigg

December 2013 to Nancy Katims

December 2012 to Andrea Meld

March 2012 to Phil Dommes

March 2009 to Peter Hendrickson

March 2008 to Michael Power

March 2007 to Sylvia Dean

March 2006 to Joe Kinney

March 2005 to Ric Williams

March 2004 to Linda Elman

March 2003 to Bob Silverman

March 2002 to Jim Nelson

 

Outstanding Dissertation Awards:

December 2023 to Dr. Wayne Smolinsky, for his dissertation entitled, "Place-Based Education: A Qualitative Study of Definitions, Opportunities, and Barriers in a Small K-12 School District"

December 2019 to Dr. James Crawford, for his dissertation entitled, "A Qualitative Study of Principal Professional Relationships and Professional Learning"

December 2018 to Jill Heiney-Smith, doctorate from Seattle Pacific University for dissertation entitled “Design, Implementation and Perceptions of a Preservice Mentor Development Program”

December 2017 to Gabriel W. Mast, doctorate from University of Washington, for his dissertation entitled, "Institutional Effects on Community College Completion: An Analysis of Washington State’s Community College System"

December 2016 to Dr. Rita Chaudhuri, doctorate from UW Tacoma, for her dissertation entitled, “The Principal’s Voice: Supports Critical to School Principal Effectiveness.”

March 2016 to Jennifer Bethman, doctorate from Washington State University, for her dissertation entitled, “The Principal Evaluation Process: Principal’s Learning as a Result of the Evaluation Process.”

April 2013 to Glenn Malone, doctorate from Washington State University, for his dissertation entitled, “Washington State Superintendents and K-12 Online Learning: Leadership Perceptions, Challenges, and Opportunities.”

April 2011 to David W. Denton, doctorate from Seattle Pacific University, for his dissertation entitled “The Effects of Reflective Thinking on Middle School Students’ Academic Achievement and Perceptions of Related Instructional Practices: A Mixed Methods Study.”

March 2008 to Hilary Loeb for her University of Washington dissertation entitled, “National Board Certification as a Support for Work with Historically Underserved Students: A Case Study of Washington State Teachers.”

March 2007 to Jack Monpas-Huber, doctorate from University of Washington, for his dissertation entitled “School Context and Motivation to Use State Assessment Data as Resource for Improving Classroom Instruction:  A Multilevel Study of High School Teachers in Washington State”

 

Assessment Directors’ Network Award:

Winter 2023 to Dawn Wakeley, Tahoma School District (Retired)

Spring 2023 to Kara Todd and Toni Wheeler, OSPI

2017 to Patrick Cummings, Tacoma Public Schools

2016 to Robin Munson, OSPI

2012 to Jeff Katims, Lance Sisco, Lucas Snider, OSPI

2010 to Kimberly DeRousie, OSPI

2007 to Robin Munson, OSPI

2006 to Razak Garoui, OSPI

2005 to Pete Bylsma, OSPI

 

Distinguished Paper Award:

April 2021 to Soojin Oh Park and Nail Hassairi

December 2019 to Gail Joseph, Janet Soderberg, Sara Stull, Kevin Cummings, Deborah McCutchen, and Rachel Han

December 2017 to Dr. Hannah Gbenro and Marie Verhaar

December 2016 to Dr. Teresa Ohrt

December 2014 to Allison Hintz

March 2014 to Pete Bylsma