About me
Amber Van Vooren works as the Interim and Formative Assessment Coordinator at the Idaho Department of Education, where she supports LEAs and schools across the state in developing and implementing coherent, balanced assessment systems. Her work spans interim and formative assessment coordination, guidance and resource development, and direct support to district and school staff. She also leads assessment monitoring visits and works closely with test coordinators to build capacity at the local level.Before joining the Department, Amber worked as an elementary teacher, a Regional Math Specialist, and an instructional coach. Many of her previous roles included supporting teachers in using data to make stronger instructional decisions. That experience gave her a firsthand view of what separates classrooms where assessment drives learning from those where it doesn't — and it continues to shape the resources and support she develops in her current role.Her interest in this session topic grows directly out of that coaching work. The teachers she observed who consistently had strong student outcomes shared a common practice: they used assessment items throughout the year as thinking tools, not just as test preparation. This session is an attempt to make that practice accessible and concrete for educators across Idaho and beyond.
