Starr Sackstein

Starr Sackstein is a National Board–Certified educator, author, and instructional leader known for her work on assessment reform, student agency, and teacher leadership. She has served as a high school English and journalism teacher, including nine years at World Journalism Preparatory School in Flushing, New York, where students ran the multimedia news outlet WJPSnews.com. Sackstein is the COO of Mastery Portfolio, an education-focused organization supporting standards-based communication and more meaningful assessment practices. She holds an advanced leadership certification from SUNY New Paltz and is a certified Master Journalism Educator through the Journalism Education Association, where she served as New York State director.

Sackstein is the author of numerous professional books for educators, including Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to Go Gradeless in a Traditional Grades School, Peer Feedback in the Classroom: Empowering Students to Be the Experts, Student-Led Assessment: Promoting Agency and Achievement Through Portfolios and Conferences, and From Teacher to Leader: Finding Your Way as a First-Time Leader—Without Losing Your Mind. Her broader body of work addresses topics such as grading without traditional marks, peer feedback, student self-assessment, questioning, and respectful, socially and emotionally informed assessment, positioning her as a prominent voice in efforts to transform classroom assessment and empower students as active participants in their learning.[8