Aldine ISD Trustee Dr. Viola M. García Appointed to National Assessment Governing Board

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Aldine ISD Trustee Dr. Viola M. García

Aldine ISD Trustee Dr. Viola M. García has been appointed to the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) by U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel D. Cardona.

NAGB sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

García’s term will run from Oct. 1, 2021, until Sept. 30, 2024.

“I am honored and humbled to serve on the National Assessment Governing Board,” García said. “As a lifelong educator, student achievement and student success have been at the core of my professional and volunteer endeavors. I am committed to maintaining the integrity and independence of The Nation’s Report Card to guide public schools in the U.S. in ongoing student achievement initiatives and transformative efforts toward the realization of a promising future for all of the students we serve.”

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 different student groups and reports on student achievement across the nation, states, and 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 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 learning, impacting students’ academic, social, and emotional development and 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.”   

In addition to serving on the NAGB, García currently serves as president of the National School Boards Association.

García has served as an Aldine ISD Trustee for 29 years and is the longest-tenured member of the Board of Education. She is a retired faculty member of the University of Houston-Downtown, where she chaired numerous committees. She has provided her expertise on a wide variety of topics ranging from academic policy to leadership.

García is also active in many organizations. She is a member of Kappa Delta Pi-Omega, the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), where she served as that group’s president, and the Mexican American School Members Association, which she has also served as president. She is also a life member of the PTA and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).