Amanda Mickus

Amanda Mickus has nearly a decade of experience in large-scale national and international assessment item development, STEM education, and external program evaluation, working with state and federal clients to generate high validity education statistics and evidence of effective practices for improving student outcomes. 

Mickus leads content development support for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Mathematics and Science assessments and serves as a subject matter expert for the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). In these roles, she ensures framework alignment to maintain technical validity and conducts cognitive interviews with students to refine instrument design. These efforts are critical to providing trustworthy data to policymakers and accurately informing the public on global education trends. 

In her work with education agencies at the state level, Mickus develops resources that help districts implement integrated STEM initiatives to strengthen workforce readiness and expand high-quality learning opportunities. She also evaluates a state systemic improvement plan, partnering with districts to leverage Early Warning Indicator data for timely intervention with students at risk of dropping out. This work builds capacity for data-driven decision-making and promotes long-term student success. 

Prior to working at AIR, Mickus developed hybrid-digital curricular materials for K-8 mathematics intervention.