Lauren Deters

Khan Academy

Lauren Deters, Ph.D., has experience in K–12 assessment, edtech innovation, and global certification, with over 13 years of experience designing and leading large-scale assessment initiatives at the state, federal, and international levels. Her work spans assessment design, measurement, and the development of skills-based technical assessments for enterprise organizations. As part of a five-year federal grant, she led measurement activities in the development of an alternate assessment, ultimately informing the validity argument. She's also been part of an early stage edTech startup, helping the company grow from seed to Series B funding.

Currently, Lauren leads the assessment team at Khan Academy, where they are reimagining how assessment can evolve in an AI-enhanced learning ecosystem. Her team is focused on developing transparent, trustworthy, and actionable assessment systems that empower students, teachers, and administrators alike. Under her leadership, Khan Academy is exploring how AI can enable more precise ways to understand student learning.

Lauren holds a Ph.D. in Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has presented at conferences and advised education and enterprise organizations. She is passionate about ensuring access and opportunity to learning for all, as well as more authentic ways to measure what students know and can do, and is committed to making assessment a force for equity and growth in education.