Profile

David Conley, Professor Emeritus of Educational Policy and Leadership in the Department of Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership, College of Education, University of Oregon, has focused his research over the past 30 years on issues related to educational policy.

In the 1990s, he developed a proficiency-based admission standards system (PASS) for the Oregon University System. In 1999, at the request of Gov. Kitzhaber, he created the Quality Education Model, an equity funding formula that is now enshrined in the Oregon state constitution.

In 2000, he founded the Center for Educational Policy Research, which he continues to direct. He also founded and served for 12 years as CEO of the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC, now Inflexion). Currently, he is the founder and president of EdImagine, a consultancy dedicated to helping educational organizations improve their effectiveness and hone their strategic direction. These three organizations all addressed a wide range of educational policy issues with the goal of improving education and making the public school system more equitable.

Dr. Conley is one of the national thought leaders in the area of college and career readiness, a term he coined and helped popularize in the early 2000s. He has conducted many of the foundational research studies in this area and has published multiple articles and policy briefs as well as three books on the topic.

Most recently, he has studied next-generation assessment and accountability systems, specifically those using new techniques and multiple measures. His most recent book that explores this area, The Promise and Practice of Next Generation Assessment, was published in July, 2018 by Harvard Education Press.

He has been appointed to numerous technical advisory groups and panels including the Smarter Balanced Technical Advisory Committee and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Accountability Technical Advisory Committee. He served as a board member and chair of the steering committee for New Meridian, a national assessment organization. He is senior advisor to Intellispark, an educational startup creating comprehensive data platforms for school districts. He has had consulting relationships with most national assessment organizations including the College Board, International Baccalaureate, and Cambridge Assessment International.