Gov. Perdue Appointed as a Chair of the National Assessment Governing Board
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona has appointed digiLEARN founder Gov. Bev Perdue chair of the National Assessment Governing Board.
The Governing Board is a nonpartisan body established by Congress in 1988 to oversee and set policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation’s Report Card. NAEP provides objective information on student performance in various subjects and for different student groups and reports on student achievement across the nation, in states, and in large urban districts.
The 26-member Governing Board is responsible for deciding which subjects NAEP assesses, determining the assessments’ content, setting achievement levels that describe student performance, and pursuing new ways to make NAEP results useful and meaningful to the public. Although the Board operates independently, NAEP law calls for members to be appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
Perdue, a Democrat, is one of five board members appointed or reappointed this week. Her term officially began on Oct. 1, 2021, and will end on Sept. 30, 2025. Secretary Cardona will also appoint a former Republican governor to serve on the Governing Board for the 2021-2025 term later this year. Perdue previously served as chair of the Board from 2018 to 2019.
“It is my pleasure to appoint this distinguished group of leaders to the National Assessment Governing Board,” said Secretary Cardona. “As we address students’ educational needs during this challenging time, I'm confident these leaders will bring the perspectives necessary to ensure the National Assessment of Educational Progress remains the gold standard in measuring student academic outcomes. The pandemic has disrupted our students’ educational opportunities and their learning, with impacts on students’ academic and social and emotional development, as well as their mental health. As we work to address students’ academic needs, we need The Nation’s Report Card now more than ever to help us understand students’ academic progress and where additional supports can be targeted, ensuring all students reach their full potential.”
The Governing Board members appointed today and the roles they represent on the Board are:
Dana Boyd, Elementary School Principal (reappointed): Boyd is the principal of Parkland Elementary School in El Paso, Texas. Boyd joined the Governing Board in 2017 and chairs the Board’s Assessment Development Committee.
Tyler Cramer, General Public Representative (reappointed): Cramer is the CEO of Remarc Associates, LLC, a service provider to the workforce and affordable housing industry, and a practicing transactional and finance lawyer for 43 years. Cramer joined the Governing Board in 2017.
Viola García, Local School Board Member: García has served on the Aldine Independent School District Board of Trustees in Texas since 1992. She was elected president of the National School Boards Association in 2021, becoming the first Latina to ever hold the position.
Scott Marion, Testing and Measurement Expert: Marion is the president and executive director of the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment (Center for Assessment) – a nonprofit consulting firm that aims to increase student learning through educational assessment and accountability practices.
“We welcome these esteemed new and reappointed members who will bring important insights as our nation continues to navigate the impacts of the pandemic and the toll it has taken on our nation’s schools and students,” said Lesley Muldoon, the executive director of the Governing Board. “We will work together to ensure that NAEP continues to answer critical questions of how our nation’s students are doing, informing efforts to improve outcomes for all children.”
