Beyond Likert Scales: Using Student Voice to Drive Whole-Child Growth

This session introduces a transformative model for whole-child assessment, grounded in authentic student voice and designed to elevate the skills that matter most in today’s world: self-awareness, resilience, purpose, and emotional agility.

Charter schools can now move beyond traditional surveys and checklists, using open-ended prompts, student-recorded audio or video reflections, and AI-powered analysis to generate rich, actionable data. This data provides a deeper understanding of each student’s growth journey—supporting MTSS, enriching advisory periods, and guiding real-time intervention.

Leaders from Port of Los Angeles High School will share how they’ve used this approach to boost student engagement, increase trust between staff and students, and build stronger school culture. By aligning these insights with Portrait of a Graduate goals and career-readiness competencies, they’ve developed a replicable model for personalized, equitable student support.

Participants will leave with ready-to-use tools, real student examples, and a step-by-step roadmap for launching this work at their own sites. For those looking for a way to make student growth visible—and truly meaningful—this session will show what’s possible when reflection becomes data and every student has a voice.

Presented by

Danny Byun

Co-CEO
IMPACTER PATHWAY

Danny Byun is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Impacter Pathway, a soft skills data analytics platform that measures future-ready competencies such as purpose, perspective-taking and grit. With more than twenty-five years of experience in technology consulting and college & career access, Danny offers a unique perspective on the evolving pathways to higher education and workforce success in the Age of AI. Before launching Impacter Pathway, Mr. Byun was a founding member of PwC’s Technology Consulting practice in Silicon Valley, where he guided Fortune 500 clients through large-scale digital transformation initiatives. A four-time entrepreneur, he has built and scaled multiple ventures at the intersection of education and technology. His leadership reflects a distinctive blend of corporate strategy, entrepreneurial drive, and a deep commitment to advancing equity and access for students.

Javier Arredondo

Partnership Development Rep
IMPACTER PATHWAY

Javy brings a unique blend of classroom experience, college counseling expertise, and data-driven program leadership to his role at Impacter Pathway. He has taught mathematics, guided students through college and career pathways, and led programs at the university level, always centering student growth and equity. His career has consistently focused on empowering students to build purpose, resilience, and self-awareness, skills at the heart of Impacter Pathway’s work.

Dr. Joshua Arnold

SUPERINTENDENT
CATCH PREP CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL

After a successful tenure as the Superintendent at CATCH Prep Charter High School, where he initially incubated and developed the technology to track SEL growth in students using Natural Language Processing Technology, Joshua Arnold now leads IMPACTER PATHWAY to support charter schools across the state in future-ready skill development. With a strong background in educational leadership, Joshua has been deeply committed to advancing future-ready skills as an essential part of student development. At CATCH Prep, he was instrumental in implementing innovative CTE programs, focusing on building students' character competencies such as curiosity, grit, and compassion. Joshua’s career also includes key roles in various school districts and non-profits, including Culver City Unified as Superintendent, Los Alamitos as Educational Services Superintendent, and College Board as a member of the National English Language Arts Committee for over a decade.

Tim Dikdan

Assistant Principal
Port of Los Angeles High School

Tim Dikdan is the Principal and Executive Director at Port of Los Angeles High School (POLAHS), where he has been a dedicated member of the school community since its founding. Tim began his career in education in 2000 and joined his first charter school in 2002. As one of the founding teachers at POLAHS, he played a vital role in shaping the school’s academic foundation, primarily by developing a strong and engaging science program. His passion for student success and school leadership led him into administration in 2021. Since then, he has served in several roles, including Dean of Students and Assistant Principal of Instruction. In his current role as Principal and Executive Director, Tim remains committed to the mission and vision of POLAHS, fostering a supportive, innovative, and academically rigorous environment for all students. His leadership continues to drive the school’s growth and success in the San Pedro community.