WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced the appointment of seven leaders from around the country to four-year terms as members of the National Assessment Governing Board.

This year’s slate includes six new members and one re-appointed member. The appointees’ terms officially began on Oct. 1, 2019, and will end on Sept. 30, 2023.

The appointees will help set policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation's Report Card. NAEP offers to the public and to education policymakers at the national, state and local levels, objective data on student performance in nearly a dozen subjects. The information NAEP provides helps education stakeholders evaluate the progress of American education. The 26-member nonpartisan, independent Governing Board determines the subjects and content of NAEP tests, sets the achievement levels for reporting and publicly releases the results.

“It is a privilege to welcome this diverse and esteemed group of leaders to the National Assessment Governing Board this year,” said Secretary DeVos. “Their collective expertise will be a tremendous asset to the Board as it continues the important work of measuring student achievement in the United States. The troubling results in this year’s Nation’s Report Card show our nation has a long way to go in closing the achievement gap and ensuring all students have access to an education that unlocks their full potential.”

The appointees and their roles on the Board are listed below:

Alberto Carvalho, local school superintendent: Carvalho joined the Governing Board in 2015. He leads the nation’s fourth largest school system as superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS). During his tenure, M-DCPS has become one of the nation’s highest-performing urban school systems, receiving systemwide accreditation from AdvancEd in 2014.

Carvalho joined the Governing Board in 2015. He leads the nation’s fourth largest school system as superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS). During his tenure, M-DCPS has become one of the nation’s highest-performing urban school systems, receiving systemwide accreditation from AdvancEd in 2014. Frank Edelblut, chief state school officer: Edelblut is the commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education. In his role, he serves on a number of boards, including as a trustee for the University System of New Hampshire, as an ex-officio trustee for the Community College System of New Hampshire, and as a member of the New Hampshire Higher Education Commission. Edelblut previously was a Republican member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, where he served on the Finance Committee, Special Committee on Pensions, and the Child and Family Law Committee.

Edelblut is the commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education. In his role, he serves on a number of boards, including as a trustee for the University System of New Hampshire, as an ex-officio trustee for the Community College System of New Hampshire, and as a member of the New Hampshire Higher Education Commission. Edelblut previously was a Republican member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, where he served on the Finance Committee, Special Committee on Pensions, and the Child and Family Law Committee. Eric Hanushek, testing & measurement expert: Hanushek is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University in Stanford, Calif. He is a recognized leader in the economic analysis of education issues and has authored numerous widely-cited studies on the effects of class- size reduction, school accountability, teacher effectiveness, and other topics.

Hanushek is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University in Stanford, Calif. He is a recognized leader in the economic analysis of education issues and has authored numerous widely-cited studies on the effects of class- size reduction, school accountability, teacher effectiveness, and other topics. Reginald McGregor, business representative: McGregor is the manager of engineering employee development and STEM outreach in the Research & Technology Strategy Group at Rolls-Royce Corporation in Indianapolis. He is also the president of the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township Board of Education.

McGregor is the manager of engineering employee development and STEM outreach in the Research & Technology Strategy Group at Rolls-Royce Corporation in Indianapolis. He is also the president of the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township Board of Education. Martin West, state school board member: West is a member of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and editor-in-chief of Education Next. He is also deputy director of the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard’s Kennedy School.

West is a member of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and editor-in-chief of Education Next. He is also deputy director of the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard’s Kennedy School. Grover J. “Russ” Whitehurst, curriculum specialist: Whitehurst is the former director of the Brown Center on Education Policy and former senior fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, where he conducted influential research on the impacts of curriculum materials on student achievement. As the founding director of the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education, Whitehurst is widely acknowledged to have had a transforming effect on the rigor and relevance of education research.

Whitehurst is the former director of the Brown Center on Education Policy and former senior fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, where he conducted influential research on the impacts of curriculum materials on student achievement. As the founding director of the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education, Whitehurst is widely acknowledged to have had a transforming effect on the rigor and relevance of education research. Carey Wright, chief state school officer: Wright is the state superintendent of education for Mississippi. Under her leadership, Mississippi has initiated education reforms that have resulted in unprecedented academic success and rising student achievement. In 2018, Quality Counts recognized Mississippi as one of the five most improved states in the nation.

“We are thrilled to welcome these new members to the National Assessment Governing Board, where they will join an exceptional group of leaders with a strong tradition of serving the nation and their communities and a strong commitment to improving the nation’s understanding of student progress,” said Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board.

Secretary DeVos will appoint three additional members to the 26-member Governing Board for the 2019-2023 term: a curriculum specialist, general public representative, and a 12th-grade teacher.