Since 1994, Dr. Kuschel has assisted primarily rural education programs (including those located on American Indian Reservations) with the design and implementation of curriculum, instructional strategies, staff development, student assessment, and program evaluation.
She has extensive experience with implementing a collaborative, network-building model of Pre-K through higher education curriculum design and alignment; focusing on internationally-benchmarked, research-based, common core standards for mathematics and English Language Arts and Literacy in Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, and including Montana Indian Education for All Essential Understandings. The standards are designed to prepare students to participate as 21st Century learners in a global society. The process she uses is a collaborative model intended to build staff support networking opportunities, that gives participants the ability to manage projects independently.
She trains teachers and teacher-leaders in various research-based strategies, including classroom instructional strategies, classroom technology integration, and teacher evaluation techniques (developed by Robert Marzano, Ed.D.). She serves on the board of a regional professional development organization (Western Montana CSPD), and provides professional development opportunities to area educators in subject-specific areas, such as integration of Indian Education in Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.
She has implemented Student Assessment processes in educational systems: both summative (National and State levels), and formative–including Criterion Referenced Testing and Computerized Adaptive Testing. She developed a computerized Statewide System for Program Evaluation for the Montana Office of Public Instruction Title I Even Start Family Literacy Program. Family Literacy is a collaborative model of education that includes Adult Education, Early Childhood and School-Age Child Education, and Parenting Education.
An experienced K-12 Business Education and Art Education teacher, Adult Education Instructor, and University-level Professor, and endorsed school principal and curriculum specialist, she holds an Education Doctorate Degree (Ed.D.) with a primary focus on Curriculum, and Higher Education, from the University of Montana (1994). Past President of the Montana Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), she continues to be an active board member, and resides in Missoula, Montana, USA, where she enjoys reading, art, music, and travel.