Former Gov. Gary Herbert has been appointed to a board overseeing the Nation’s Report Card by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

Herbert was sworn in as a member of the National Assessment Governing Board by Cardona on Nov. 18, filling the available post meant for a Republican governor. Herbert will serve a four-year term in this role, his term officially began on Oct. 1, and is expected to serve in this capacity until Sept. 30, 2025.

“It’s an honor to be selected by the secretary, and I believe it fits nicely with my efforts to establish a new public policy institute at UVU,” Herbert said in a press release. “Having served as the chair of the National Governor’s Association (NGA), I know how important it is to have a seat at the table, especially when that seat brings Utah’s voice and experience into creating impactful education policy.”

The National Assessment Governing Board, which is comprised of 26 members, was established by Congress in 1988 as a nonpartisan body to manage policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card.

The NAEP is the largest continuing assessment administered to students in the United States, having been administered since 1969. The objective of the NAEP is to measure the knowledge of students nationwide in various subjects including math, reading, science, writing, arts, civics, and more. They then use those findings to inform change within the education system.

Herbert’s appointment to the National Assessment Governing Board follows the creation of the Gary R. Herbert Institute for Public Policy at Utah Valley University. According to the institute’s website, students at the Herbert Institute will have the opportunity to participate in internship programs at the federal, state, and local levels, author public policy papers, and participate in policy forums.

Herbert’s former education advisor, Tami Pyfer, will assist him in this new position.

“I’m thrilled to work with Governor Herbert as he serves on the NAEP Governing Board,” Pyfer said in a press release. “As governor, his hands-on, collaborative approach to the challenges facing public education resulted in both increased opportunities and improved outcomes for Utah students. Bringing this experience and perspective to assessment policy at the national level is a win-win all around.”

Herbert served as governor of Utah from 2009 to 2021, previously serving as Lieutenant Governor under Jon Huntsman Jr. for five years prior. He has also served as the national president of the Council of State Governments, the chair of the National Governors Association and Western Governors Association, and a member of the Utah County Commission.

“We welcome Gov. Herbert to the National Assessment Governing Board,” said Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the Governing Board in a press release. “He joins an esteemed group of leaders with diverse backgrounds and perspectives from across the country who share a commitment to understanding and improving student achievement.”

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