U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the appointment of Massachusetts Commissioner of Education David P. Driscoll to the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB).

Driscoll's career in public education and educational leadership spans 40 years. A former mathematics teacher, he served as assistant superintendent and then superintendent of schools in Melrose, Mass., before being appointed deputy commissioner of education in Massachusetts. Already at the forefront of education reform nationally under Driscoll's leadership, Massachusetts was named one of the first five states in the country to have its No Child Left Behind accountability plan approved by the federal government.

In 2005, he served as president of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). He earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics at Boston College, his master's degree in educational administration from Salem State College, and his doctorate in education administration from Boston College.

"David Driscoll's leadership and commitment has been instrumental to raising the standard of education excellence in his home state of Massachusetts," Spellings said. "I know that he will bring that same dedication to NAGB as we work towards our goal of getting every child to grade level in reading and math by 2014."

The 26-member governing board develops policy guidance for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the only continuing assessment of whatstudents know and can do in various subjects at the elementary and secondary school levels. Under the No Child Left Behind law, which requires that states participate every two years in the national assessment’s state-level samples for assessing reading and math achievement in grades four and eight, the national assessment has taken on a new role as an independent yardstick of school achievement. States are now able to compare trends on the national assessment with performance on their own state exams.

The board is involved in a number of activities, including:

• Selecting the subjects to be tested;
• Identifying learning objectives for each grade tested;
• Identifying appropriate achievement goals; and
• Ensuring that all items selected for use in the assessment are free from racial, cultural, gender and regional biases.

The secretary appoints members from nominees in categories prescribed by law. The board must include governors or former governors, legislators, educators, testing experts and curriculum specialists, as well as business and industry representatives, parents and persons representing the general public.

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