UCET 2025

As Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Kerns
advises educators in both the US and the UK about academic
trends and opportunities. Dr. Kerns is a leading authority on
education standards in the US and England, learning
progressions, formative assessment, personalized learning,
and the application of insights from the “science of expertise”
within K–12. He delivers highly sought-after presentations
each year—often to standing-room-only crowds of educators
and administrators.

Areas of specialization:AssessmentCognitive researchEducational leadershipIntegrated curriculumLearning progressionsPersonalized learningResponse to InterventionScience of expertiseCognitive science is advancing quickly and daily unlocking new secrets of how humans learn, serving to inform
education like never before. Dr. Kerns reviews these findings about how people learn and how they align with and can support our work with students.

Prior to joining Renaissance:
Dr. Kerns served as the Supervisor of Academic Services for the Milford School District in Delaware, was an adjunct
faculty member at the University of Delaware, and held various other teaching and administrative positions in Delaware and Virginia. He received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Longwood University in Virginia, and holds a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Delaware. He is co-author of two books, in Formative Assessment: When It’s Not About a Grade and Unlocking Student Talent: The New Science of Developing Expertise (in press).

Former clients include:Confederation of Oregon School AdministratorsCooperative Council of Oklahoma School AdministratorsKansas-Missouri Superintendents’ Leadership ForumKentucky Association of School AdministratorsMichigan Association of School AdministratorsMinistry of Education of SingaporeMichigan Association of School AdministratorsMississippi Association of School AdministratorsNew Jersey Principals’ AssociationNew Mexico Coalition of School AdministratorsNew York City Middle School Principals’ AssociationOklahoma Technology AssociationWest Virginia Association of School AdministratorsWestminster Education Forum (London)Wyoming Association of School Administrators
Dr. Kerns dynamic, information-rich presentations deliver practical
guidance and application practices educators need: Assessments Many Forms. More than 20 years ago, one of the most significant pieces of research around education was released and many remain unaware. Distracted by high-stakes uses of assessment, we are still coming to terms about what formative assessment truly is and how to fully capitalize on its tremendous potential to improve learning. This session takes the research and translates it into easily applicable teaching strategies guaranteed to make a difference in performance.The Most Fruitful Ground: Where to Focus Your Time and Energy for the Greatest Return. This session will review essential research around educator effectiveness and suggest key areas of focus likely to pay the greatest dividend, among them learning progressions and quality formative classroom assessment. Unlocking Student Talent: The New Science of Developing Expertise. It is expected that mechanics understand every part of a car and how it all works together. Architects must know every angle and surface. Yet, as “architects of the intellect,” do we educators have a deep understanding of how expertise is developed? This session explores the research on world class performance, with the particular goal of distilling it for us as educators and applying it for classrooms. Armed with the insights this research can offer, educators will be on the brink of new achievements."We want to know what the challenges are that you are being asked to face, and then figure out how we can best support you in meeting the challenges that people are placing in front of you."