Gov. Heineman Appoints State Educational Testing Advisory Committee

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today announced the appointment of a five-member advisory committee to assist Nebraska education leaders as they develop plans for statewide assessments in K-12 schools.

The technical advisory committee was created by LB 1157, which outlined a uniform testing plan for Nebraska school districts and was approved in this year’s legislative session. LB 1157 directs the Governor to appoint a panel of national testing experts and Nebraska school representatives to advise the Legislature, the State Board of Education and the Nebraska Department of Education on the development of a statewide testing plan and assessments.

Three members are required to be national experts on educational assessment and measurements, with the other two members being an administrator and a teacher at a Nebraska school.

The committee will consist of Dr. Brian Gong of Dover, New Hampshire, who will chair the group; Dr. Wayne Camara of New York; Dr. Richard Sawyer of Iowa City, Iowa; Dr. Dallas Watkins of Benkelman; and Linda Poole of Omaha.

“I appreciate the time and energy these professionals will dedicate to helping develop Nebraska’s statewide testing program,” Gov. Heineman said. “The expertise and experience they bring to this process will be valuable. We are charting a new course that will help our schools demonstrate the academic success of Nebraska students.”

A statewide assessment for writing is already in use, and LB 1157 calls for statewide tests in reading, math and science to be developed. Exams will be implemented over a three-year period, starting in the 2009-10 school year.

 “The Nebraska Department of Education looks forward to working with these distinguished individuals and welcomes their assistance as we continue to develop statewide assessments,” said Nebraska Deputy Commissioner of Education Marge Harouff.

State Senator Ron Raikes of Lincoln, Chairman of the Legislature’s Education Committee stated, “I believe Nebraska education will be well served by the advice and consultation this committee will provide. The expertise of these appointees will enhance an already strong effort by the Nebraska Department of Education to implement the statewide assessment system envisioned by the Legislature.”

Dr. Gong currently serves on Nebraska’s National Advisory Council, which provides technical advice on the state’s standards, assessment and reporting process. He is the founder and executive director of the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment, Inc., which helps states develop better educational assessments to measure student achievement. He is a technical advisor on testing practices for several states and education groups. Before his work with the center, Dr. Gong headed the Kentucky Department of Education’s curriculum and assessment office and worked as a research scientist with the Educational Testing Service developing tests for elementary and middle school science students. He received his doctorate in curriculum and evaluation programs from Stanford University.

Dr. Camara is vice president of research and development at the national College Board, where he oversees research, statistical analysis and test development for national educational assessments including the SAT, the Advanced Placement Program and the PSAT/NMSQT. Camara has served as assistant executive director of science at the American Psychological Association, where he directed testing policy and was involved with federal and policy initiatives on behavioral science research. His areas of research include standards and professional practice in testing, test validity, fairness, and ethical issues in testing.  Dr. Camara received his doctorate in psychology from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Dr. Sawyer is a senior research scientist with the ACT, where he is currently working on issues preparing students for college and college course placement. He has held several positions at ACT, including statistician, director and assistant vice president, and has more than 35 years of experience in research design and statistical analysis. He received his doctorate in statistics from the University of Iowa.

Dr. Dallas Watkins is the superintendent of Dundy County Stratton Public Schools. He has been with the district since 1984. He began his career in education with the Holbrook Public Schools where he worked for six years. Dr. Watkins received his doctorate from the University of Wyoming.

Linda Poole has more than 20 years of experience in public education as a teacher and board of education member. She teaches third grade at Walnut Creek Elementary in the Papillion-LaVista School District. Poole served 12 years on the Millard Board of Education and was president of the Nebraska School Boards Association. She also served on the Board of Directors of the National School Boards Association. Poole received her bachelor degree in elementary education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.