Michael Nettles, National Expert on Education Assessment, To Speak at Community Meeting

Washington College President Kurt Landgraf is pleased to announce that Michael Nettles, a national leader on educational assessment and equity, will take part in a Kent County community meeting on March 28, 2018 to talk about progress in Kent County schools. Nettles, the Senior Vice President and the Edmund W. Gordon Chair of Education Testing Service’s (ETS) Policy Evaluation & Research Center, will speak on “Signs of Pride and Prosperity: Sustaining Educational Progress in Kent County.”

The community meeting will be held at Kent County High School starting at 6:30 p.m. The following day, Nettles will offer his expertise during an exchange of ideas with Kent County’s school administrators, teachers, and staff.

“Our public schools are our community’s future economically, socially—really, in every way,” says Landgraf, who served as 13 years as CEO and president of ETS. “Everything that we can do to support our schools, the students, staff, and faculty, works toward making that future brighter for all of Kent County. I’m so pleased that Michael Nettles is coming here to offer his extensive insight and expertise, and that Kent County Schools administrators and faculty are excited to welcome him.”

Karen M. Couch, Superintendent of Kent County Schools, says she’s “thrilled to host Dr. Nettles for this event. The opportunity to have someone of his caliber speak to the educational investments and innovations that the Kent County Board of Education and County Commissioners have embraced will be a turning point in our community. Anyone interested in learning more about what the Kent County Public Schools is doing and how it will positively impact student achievement needs to attend.”

Nettles has a national reputation as a policy researcher on educational assessment, student performance and achievement, and educational equity. His publications reflect his broad interest in public policy, student and faculty access, opportunity, achievement, and assessment at the K–12 and postsecondary levels.

In August 2014 President Barack Obama appointed Nettles to the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. He was appointed by two U.S. Secretaries of Education to serve on the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), which oversees and develops policies for the National Assessment of Educational Progress. He also served for eight years on both the College Board of Trustees and the GRE® Board.

A native of Nashville, Tenn., Nettles earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of Tennessee. He went on to receive master’s degrees in political science and higher education, and a Ph.D. in education at Iowa State University.

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~ Washington College