
Who We Are
Creating Solutions Together
What began as a partnership to support authorizers and alternative schools has become relevant to all schools. The National Charter Schools Institute and Momentum Strategy & Research (together the A-GAME) now work to develop Responsive Goals with all public schools (elementary, middle, and high schools) as well as charter authorizers, district offices, and state education agencies. Whether for school improvement planning or high stakes accountability, we can help set goals that focus on students first and address all elements of the school's mission.

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Meet the A-GAME Team

Naomi Rubin Deveaux
Partner at the National Charter Schools Institute
When I was a charter school authorizer in Washington, D.C., I felt confident using our frameworks that we built for K-12, adult education, and even early childhood programs. However, measuring the quality of our alternative schools remained amorphous. When the opportunity arose to work for the National Charter Schools Institute and partner with Jody at Momentum to create measures for non-traditional schools, I jumped at the opportunity. When the pandemic jolted life as we knew it, and education as we expect it, our work took even more relevance and significance. I am thrilled to be able to work with authorizers and schools across the nation on building better goals in a collaborative and holistic manner. I bring to the table a passion for quality schools and high expectations for all students, which cannot, not should not be measured by state assessments alone (or at all):
- Fulbright Scholar
- 7+ yrs overseeing charter school qualit
- 6+yrs providing charter school advocacy and support
- 10+ yrs teaching in charter and district high schools
- 10+ yrs as an active board member
- Member of Center for Learner Equity
- Pahara-Aspen Institute Fellow

Jody Ernst, Ph.D.
Vice President of Research and Policy Analytics (and co-founder) at Momentum Strategy & Research
I come to this work with the students in the forefront of my mind. I was a disengaged teen who ended up dropping out of school at the end of my Jr. year of high school. While I can’t say what would have happened if I had an alternative school option, I know that I was very detached from the large high school that I attended.
For me this work is about ensuring quality educational options are available for ALL students, and I do not feel that our current focus on standardized tests alone captures what many schools are providing. And the hyper focus on these tests has shifted schools' priorities to making sure that their students do well on those tests, often to the exclusion of innovative and engaging programs that might otherwise keep students engaged.
In working to help schools measure their success with students from multiple perspectives--academic, behavioral, social-emotional, career and college readiness--we incentivize schools to focus on all aspects of child and adolescent development.
Below is a short list of the professional experience I bring to this process:
- Ph.D. in Differential Psychology with emphasis in statistics and psychometrics
- Former Research Director at Colorado League of Charter Schools
- National expert in research, measurement, and accountability design
- Develops accountability frameworks for schools, districts, authorizers, and states
- Maintains national database of alternative education campuses
- Former board member of Reaching At-Promise Students Association
The Trailblazers
We are grateful for the thought leadership of these charter school authorizers and schools, who joined us to blaze a new pathway to measure school quality that does not rely on state standardized assessments alone. They think outside the box and have moved beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to measuring school quality.

Alameda County Office of Education

Audubon Center of the North Woods

Buckeye Community Hope Foundation

DC Public Charter School Board

Hillsborough County Public Schools

New York State Education Department

Ferris State University

Nevada State Public Charter School Authority

Chicago Public Schools

The State University of New York

Central Michigan University

Inyo County Office of Education

Colorado Charter Schools Institute

Delaware Department of Education

Detroit Public Schools Community District

Los Angeles County Office of Education

Missouri Charter Public School Commission

Pillsbury United Communities

Riverside County Office of Education

Thomas B. Fordham Foundation

Utah State Charter School Board
Pilot Authorizers and Schools
We appreciate the hard work of the authorizers and schools who helped us pilot this approach. They have been working tirelessly to create goals that capture the social-emotional development, academic achievement, and student engagement during COVID-19 that move beyond a one-size-fits-all framework.
- Colorado Charter Schools Institute (Authorizer)
New Legacy
- Delaware Department of Education (Authorizer)
Positive Outcomes
- Detroit Public Schools Community District (Authorizer)
Pathways Academy - Inyo County Office of Education (Authorizer)
Youthbuild Charter School
LA Education Corps - Los Angeles County Office of Education (Authorizer)
Da Vinci RISE High
North Valley Military
- Missouri Charter Public School Commission (Authorizer)
De LaSalle Learning Center
- New York State Education Department (Authorizer)
New Dawn Charter Schools
New Ventures Charter School
- Pillsbury United Communities (Authorizer)
Minnesota Online High School - Riverside County Office of Education (Authorizer)
Gateway Charter
Leadership Military Academy - Thomas B. Fordham Foundation (Authorizer)
Columbus Collegiate Academy
Columbus Collegiate Academy: West Campus
Dayton Leadership Academies
Dayton Early College Academy
DECA Prep
KIPP Columbus
Phoenix Community Learning Center
ReGeneration Schools Bond Hill
Sciotoville Community School
United Preparatory Academy
United Preparatory Academy - East - Utah State Charter School Board (Authorizer)
Roots Charter High School










