Overview
Bryan Hemberg is a nationally recognized expert in standards, assessment, and evaluation, serving as Senior Director of Assessment Implementation. With more than 20 years of experience in education policy, measurement, and program evaluation, he leads the development of innovative assessment solutions and conducts rigorous evaluations that inform policy decisions at state and federal levels. Hemberg partners with education leaders to implement meaningful reforms that drive improved student outcomes, foster educator growth, and promote greater equity in educational systems. Hemberg leads WestEd’s partnerships with clients to build student and educator agency and continuously improve the use of evidence-based knowledge, policies, and practices for teaching and learning. He has received three WestEd Staff Awards for his contributions to education equity, field leadership, and colleague empowerment.
In his dual director roles, Hemberg builds and manages large-scale portfolios serving state and local education agencies nationwide. His work spans both comprehensive assessment system design—including state summative assessment programs serving millions of students—and complex, politically sensitive evaluations that drive systemic change. His recent evaluation of California’s Holocaust and Genocide education implementation directly resulted in signed state legislation, establishing WestEd’s credibility in this emerging field. Hemberg provides strategic leadership across WestEd, serving as Oregon State Lead, a role in which he coordinates cross-divisional project portfolios and cultivates strategic relationships with state education agencies. His management of the Oregon Department of Education relationship serves as a model for building transformational state partnerships. Throughout his career, he has built sustainable, high-impact partnerships with clients including state departments of education, federal agencies, and national organizations.
Hemberg’s commitment to equitable, evidence-based education practices stems from his diverse background in the field. At the American Institutes for Research, he directed the development of state alternate assessment programs, which aligns with his current focus on inclusive assessment strategies. His research experience at UCLA includes supporting IES-funded research on teacher professional development at the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST). Hemberg’s journey in education began as a special education teacher at Dr. George Washington Carver middle school in Los Angeles, instilling in him a deep understanding of classroom realities and the importance of tailored, accessible learning opportunities for all students.
Education
- MA in special education, Loyola Marymount University
- BA in psychology, University of Michigan
Select Publications
Center for Standards, Assessment, & Accountability. (2023). State of the States: Assessments [Issue brief]. https://csaa.wested.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CSAA-SoS_Assessments_2023.pdf
Center for Standards, Assessment, & Accountability. (2023). State of the States: PreK assessments/early childhood education [Issue brief]. https://csaa.wested.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CSAA-SoS_PreK_2023.pdf
Center for Standards, Assessment, & Accountability. (2023). State of the States: Standards [Issue brief]. https://csaa.wested.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CSAA-SoS_Standards_2023.pdf
Center for Standards, Assessment, & Accountability. (2023). State of the States: High school graduation requirements [Issue brief]. https://csaa.wested.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CSAA-SoS_GradReq_2023.pdf
National Center on Educational Outcomes. (2021). The 95 percent state assessment participation requirement: Current landscape, state challenges, and recommended strategies (NCEO Report 429). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED616096.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2019, March). CSAI Update: Assessing English learners under ESEA, as amended by ESSA [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED597329.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2019, February). CSAI Update: Ethnic studies standards – statewide initiatives [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED597332.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2018, March). CSAI Update: Using student assessment data to support decision-making [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588492.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2018, March). CSAI Update: Valid and reliable assessments [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588476.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2018, March). CSAI Update: Selected alternatives for assessing college and career readiness [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588469.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2018, March). CSAI Update: Standards alignment to curriculum and assessment [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588503.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2018, January). CSAI Update: State scan of professional learning activities [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588473.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2017, December). CSAI Update: English language proficiency assessment: Assessment administration for newly arrived students under ESSA [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588509.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2017, July). CSAI Update: Peer review of state assessment systems outcomes report [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588468.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2017, July). CSAI Update: New Mexico kindergarten teachers’ use of kindergarten entry assessment data [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588467.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2017, April). CSAI Update: Key considerations for inclusion of school quality/student success indicators in state accountability systems [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588454.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2017, March). CSAI Update: Accountability requirements for subgroups of students [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588456.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2017, January). CSAI Update: Integrating speaking and listening standards into instruction – A review of resources [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588465.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2016, December). CSAI Update: States’ content standards revision processes [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588498.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2016, September). CSAI Update: High school graduation requirements in a time of college and career readiness [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED570363.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2016, June). CSAI Update: School climate and stakeholder engagement measures [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588493.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2016, June). CSAI Update: Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten assessments [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588480.pdf
Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation. (2016, May). CSAI Update: Assessment opt-out [Issue brief]. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED588462.pdf
National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST). (2008, May). Using data and big ideas: Teaching distribution as an instance of repeated addition (CRESST Report 734). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED502631.pdf
