U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona has appointed an elementary school principal, a business executive, a local school board member, a testing and measurement expert, and a former governor to the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the only ongoing, nationally representative assessment of what American students know and can do in various subjects.

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.

“It is my pleasure to appoint this distinguished group of leaders to the National Assessment Governing Board,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel 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 appointees announced today include two new Board members and three reappointed members. The appointees’ terms officially began on October 1, 2021, and will end on September 30, 2025, with the exception of the local school board member’s term which will end on September 30, 2024. Secretary Cardona will also appoint a former Republican governor to serve on the Governing Board for the 2021-2025 term later this year.

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. In 2020, Boyd was named a winner of the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award. Her other accolades include being named the 2016 Texas National Distinguished Principal of the Year by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association as well as the 2007 Texas Teacher of the Year by the Texas Association of School Administrators. Boyd joined the Governing Board in 2017; she chairs the Board’s Assessment Development Committee and serves on the Executive Committee. 

• Tyler Cramer, General Public Representative (reappointed): Cramer is the CEO of Remarc Associates, LLC. Cramer is a leader in the San Diego education and business community, having previously served as chair of the San Diego Business Roundtable for Education, education committee chair of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce (where he also was director), and member of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System Advisory Board. Cramer joined the Governing Board in 2017.

• Viola Garcia, Local School Board Member: Garcia 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. Garcia is an emeritus professor in the department of urban education at the University of Houston-Downtown, where she trains future teachers for local school districts. 

• Scott Marion, Testing and Measurement Expert: Marion is the president and executive director of the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment – a nonprofit consulting firm that aims to increase student learning through educational assessment and accountability practices. Marion was the director of assessment and accountability for the Wyoming Department of Education from 1999 to 2003.

• Beverly Perdue, Governor – Democrat (reappointed): Perdue served as governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013. Since leaving office, Perdue has consulted on a wide range of education issues and has initiated many education efforts, including founding DigiLEARN – a nonprofit designed to accelerate digital learning opportunities for all ages. Perdue joined the Governing Board in 2017.

Secretary Cardona also named former North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue chair of the Governing Board for the 2021-2022 year. Perdue previously served as chair of the Board from 2018 to 2019.

“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.”