NHLI | New Hampshire Learning Initiative
All Students Deserve a Quality Education
Ellen Hume-Howard
Executive Director
Ellen Hume-Howard brings over three decades of public education leadership to her role as Executive Director of the New Hampshire Learning Initiative (NHLI), a position she has held since 2017. A former middle school educator and district curriculum director, Ellen bridges education policy, research, and classroom practice. Under her leadership, NHLI partners with school districts to build competency-based systems, strengthen performance assessment, and foster sustainable, educator-led professional learning.
/ September 24, 2026
Professional Learning Should Help Districts Move the Work Forward
Professional development must do more than introduce new ideas. Learn how district partnerships, collaborative design, and practical tools help schools build lasting capacity.
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/ January 28, 2026
5 tips for high-impact, student-centered math professional learning
Curriculum alone cannot close math gaps. Instruction closes gaps. And instruction improves when teachers have access to high-quality, research-based professional learning grounded in how students actually learn mathematics.
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/ December 29, 2025
Rethinking Grading Part 2: When the Gradebook Drives the Bus
Choosing a Reporting System That Actually Supports Competency-Based Learning In a lot of districts that say they’re “doing competency-based learning,” you can see two very different realities: Too often, districts […]
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/ December 29, 2025
Rethinking Grading, Part 1: When Feedback Leads, Learning Follows
Designing Grading Practices That Reflect Growth, Development, and Classroom Reality Few topics in K–12 education spark as much debate—and confusion—as grading practices. School systems and structures often demand that grading […]
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/ September 5, 2025
Reimagining Professional Development: Putting Educators at the Center of Change
If we want students to be curious, capable, and future-ready, we must invest in the educators who guide them. Professional development isn’t an add-on—it’s the engine of educational change.
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/ June 23, 2025
PreK-12 Generative AI Framework for NH Schools
Dear New Hampshire Educational Leaders, We are excited to announce the release of the New Hampshire PreK-12 Generative AI Framework, developed by the New Hampshire AI Education Collaborative (NHAIEC). This document serves […]
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/ May 16, 2025
From PACE to PLACE: How New Hampshire is Redefining School Accountability Through Classroom-Aligned Innovation
In the national conversation about education reform, New Hampshire has quietly—but powerfully—paved the way for a new vision of school accountability. At the heart of this vision lies a transformative […]
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/ February 3, 2025
Staying Committed to Competency-Based Learning
Empowering Students Through Competency-Based Learning: Staying True to Proven Practices in a World of Quick Fixes Educators and administrators often navigate a complex web of choices, initiatives, and pressures in […]
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/ March 2, 2023
Grading for Learning and Equity: Why Our Practices Need Reform in NH
Grading is more than just points; it’s an exercise in equity. Discover why New Hampshire educators are shifting from “getting it done” to “How well did I show what I know?” through research-based grading reform.
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