Governing Board Appoints 13 Members To NAEP Business Policy Task Force

(May 22, 2009) — Thirteen business leaders from across the nation have been appointed to a new task force that will improve outreach efforts to the business community on behalf of the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP).

The NAEP Business Policy Task Force – comprised of business leaders from a wide range of industry sectors – was created by the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets policy for NAEP.

Also known as The Nation's Report Card, NAEP was created by Congress to provide the public with information about the achievement of students at grades 4, 8, and 12 in core academic subjects, including reading, mathematics, writing, and science. The task force will lend the business perspective to the Governing Board as it develops policies affecting NAEP.

The task force will have its initial meeting this fall. It will focus on making NAEP results more relevant to the business community, improving the dissemination of NAEP reports to the business community, and advising on the use of NAEP in reporting on the preparedness of 12th-grade students for postsecondary education and occupational training.

The new task force may also help define the academic content that NAEP should assess and examine cost-effective and efficient ways for NAEP to transition to a computer-based assessment system.

"The task force members represent a broad array of business expertise and insight that we hope to bring to bear on NAEP policy development," said Governing Board Chairman Darvin Winick. "This outreach effort will help us better connect with the business community and help ensure that NAEP continues to be an important and useful resource on student achievement for the public."

The 13 members of the task force are:

• Phyllis A. Hudecki, task force chair: executive director, Oklahoma Business and Education Coalition (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
• Lloyd G. Jackson II, task force vice chair: president, Jackson Gas Company (Hamlin, W.V.)
• Michael A. Bettersworth: associate vice chancellor, Texas State Technical College (Austin, Texas)
• James E. Bostic, Jr.: executive vice president (retired), Georgia-Pacific Corporation (Atlanta)
• Karen Cator: director, education and leadership advocacy, Apple, Inc. (Cupertino, Calif.)
• Tyler Cramer: chief executive officer, Business Roundtable for Education Foundation (San Diego)
• Joseph E. Esposito: chief financial officer (retired), SolidWorks Corp. (Bedford, Mass.)
• Jon Eric Gustafson: workforce development manager, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (Fort Worth, Texas.)
• Preston Johnson: senior vice president, human resources, McDermott International (Houston)
• Michele McGlinchey: senior talent acquisition specialist, Mortenson Construction (Minneapolis)
• Susan Santana: assistant vice president, external affairs, AT&T (Washington, D.C.)
• Bill Shore: director of U.S. community partnerships, GlaxoSmithKline (Research Triangle Park, N.C.)
• Wendy S. Swisher: vice president, human resources and leadership development, Kindred Health Care (Louisville, Ky.)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the only nationally representative, continuing evaluation of the condition of education in the United States. It has served as a national yardstick of student achievement since 1969. Through the Nation's Report Card, NAEP informs the public about what American students know and can do in various subject areas and compares achievement between states, large urban districts, and various student demographic groups.
The National Assessment Governing Board is an independent, bipartisan board whose members include governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives and members of the general public. Congress created the 26-member Governing Board in 1988 to oversee and set policy for NAEP.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a congressionally authorized project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The National Center for Education Statistics, within the Institute of Education Sciences, administers NAEP. The Commissioner of Education Statistics is responsible by law for carrying out the NAEP project.