Dr. Cantú-Wilson appointed to National Assessment Governing Board

PASADENA, Texas — San Jacinto College Board of Trustees Member, Dr. Michelle Cantú-Wilson, has been appointed to the National Assessment Governing Board.  

The appointment of 11 education leaders, which includes seven new members, was made by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona earlier this month. The National Assessment Governing Board oversees the Nation’s Report Card, also known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the only nationally representative assessment of student achievement.  

“I am incredibly honored to have been appointed the National Assessment Governing Board,” said Dr. Cantú-Wilson. “It is critical that we continue to look at and use the data that is available to us to make decisions that ensure our nation’s students and our schools will be successful post-pandemic and beyond. I thank Secretary Cardona for selecting me for this position and am committed to working with dedicated leaders from across the country as we support the important work of the Nation’s Report Card.”  

Dr. Cantú-Wilson was elected to the San Jacinto College Board of Trustees in May 2023. She had previously served the College for nearly 10 years in various roles, including faculty and administration. She currently works as an education and leadership consultant and is the owner of Vinda Linda Consulting.  

The nonpartisan 26-member National Assessment Governing Board was established by Congress to set policy for the Nation’s Report Card. The board decides what grades and subjects to assess, content to include, and achievement levels. It works with the National Center for Education Statistics, which administers NAEP, to release and disseminate results.  

The Nation’s Report Card, also known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, is the only nationally representative assessment of student achievement. Over the past year, NAEP provided critical insights into student learning gaps across subjects and grades worsened by the pandemic. In addition, accompanying survey data revealed important trends related to chronic absenteeism, literacy, and teacher confidence in getting students back on track.  

“As we work to Raise the Bar for academic excellence and promote the benefits of evidence-based strategies to support learning recovery in our schools, the Nation’s Report Card shines a much-needed light on students’ progress,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in a press release. “I’m confident the appointees will draw on their diverse experiences – including as school leaders, educators, and parents – to guide decision-making around how we assess student achievement in our country. At this critical moment in our students’ continued recovery from the disruption of the pandemic, I’m especially grateful for these leaders and their willingness to serve on the National Assessment Governing Board.”  

The following education leaders were appointed for a term that began October 1:

• Lisa Ashe, Secondary Mathematics Consultant, Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina (Curriculum Specialist)
• Shari Camhi, Superintendent of Schools, Baldwin Union Free School District, Baldwin, New York (Local School Superintendent)
• Michelle Cantú-Wilson, Trustee, San Jacinto College, Houston, Texas (General Public Representative)
• Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary education, Rhode Island (Chief State School Officer)
• Guillermo Solano-Flores, Professor of Education, Stanford University (Testing and Measurement Expert)
• Darein Spann, Principal, Starkville High School, Starkville, Mississippi (Secondary Principal)
• Jane Swift, former governor, Massachusetts (Governor)  

The secretary also reappointed several current Governing Board members:

• Christine Cunningham, Senior Vice President of STEM Learning, Museum of Science, Boston (Curriculum Specialist)
• Patrick Kelly, AP Government and U.S. History Teacher, Blythewood, South Carolina (Twelfth-Grade Teacher)
• Reginald McGregor, Vice-President, Government Relations, Rolls-Royce Corporation (Business Representative)
• Martin West, Professor of Education and Academic Dean, Harvard University (State School Board Member from Massachusetts) 

Chair Beverly Perdue, the former governor of North Carolina, was also reappointed as chair of the governing board.  

"I'm grateful to these new appointees for their willingness to serve and to those who preceded them on the governing board. We have vital work ahead of us to strengthen the NAEP program and innovate so that the Nation's Report Card continues to provide essential information about the progress of our students and their experience in school," said Executive Director of the National Assessment Governing Board Lesley Muldoon. "Congress has charged the Secretary and Board to ensure that its membership reflects the full diversity of our nation. This new class of members is the most diverse ever, strengthening our ability to represent the array of backgrounds and experiences of our nation's students and teachers."  

New and reappointed members will be sworn in at the governing board's quarterly meeting in November. See the full governing board members list here.    

About the National Assessment Governing Board

The National Assessment Governing Board is an independent, nonpartisan board whose members include governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives and members of the general public. Congress created the governing board in 1988 to set policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress. For more information about the governing board, visit www.nagb.gov.

About San Jacinto College

Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris County, Texas, since 1961. The College is one of the top 10 community colleges in the nation as designated by the Aspen Institute, and was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. The College is a Hispanic-Serving Institution that spans five campuses, serving approximately 41,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding bond ratings of AA and Aa2 by Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.