Former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant has been appointed to the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), according to an announcement from U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Bryant will occupy one of two seats on the board reserved for state governors from different political parties.
The NAGB is responsible for setting policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), commonly referred to as The Nation’s Report Card. The board determines achievement levels, decides which grades and subjects are assessed, and selects assessment content.
“Governor Bryant brings an important state perspective to the National Assessment Governing Board. During his tenure, he signed Mississippi’s Literacy-Based Promotion Act into law, which kicked off the state's remarkable literacy growth which is aptly known as the ‘Mississippi Miracle,’” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “I am grateful for his willingness to serve and look forward to the great work he will do on the Board.”
This appointment marks Secretary McMahon’s fourth selection for NAGB this year, following her earlier appointments of Kymyona Burk, Michael Sidebotham, and Scott Marion. She indicated that additional vacancies on the board will be filled in the coming months.
Phil Bryant served as governor of Mississippi from 2012 until 2020. During his administration, he led several education initiatives focused on early childhood education, teacher pay increases, charter schools, school accountability measures, special education programs, career-technical training efforts, and scholarship opportunities for students seeking careers as public school teachers in Mississippi. He also implemented reforms aimed at improving literacy rates in the state by supporting teacher training based on reading science and establishing a third-grade literacy retention policy.
Bryant previously held positions as lieutenant governor, state auditor, and legislator in Mississippi. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a master’s degree from Mississippi College; he also received an honorary doctorate of laws degree from that institution.
