Governor-Elect Youngkin announces selection of Education Secretary

RICHMOND, VA – Governor-Elect Glenn Youngkin today announced he has chosen Aimee Rogstad Guidera to serve as the next Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

“Aimee will be a critical partner in restoring expectations of excellence; overseeing a record education budget to invest in teachers, facilities and special education; rolling out innovation lab and charter schools; and standing for a curriculum that prepares Virginia’s children for a dynamic future and removes politics from the classroom,” said Governor-elect Youngkin. “A nationally recognized leader, Aimee is deeply respected for her distinguished career advocating for innovation and choice, data-driven reform, and high standards, and will apply these principles in order to implement the Day One Game Plan. Most importantly, she understands that parents matter, and the best interests of students must come first. Her leadership, intellect, and talent will be tremendous assets as we ensure Virginia kids are the best prepared in the country to succeed, and that they are taught how to think, not what to think. She will help us recharge a system that has settled for too long.”

Guidera is currently the President of Guidera Strategy, and is the former founder and chief executive of the Data Quality Campaign (DQC), a leading national organization advocating for improved quality, accessibility and use of education data to increase student achievement. Before founding DQC, Guidera served as the director of the Washington, D.C., office of the National Center for Educational Achievement. She started her career working on education policy at the National Governors Association. A Maryland native, Guidera and her husband moved to Virginia in 1995 and their daughter attended Fairfax County Public Schools. She was an active supporter of her daughters’ public schools and served as a classroom volunteer, parent-teacher organization leader, and advisory committee member.

Speaker-designee Todd Gilbert issued the following statement:

“When Republicans said we would make education a priority for the upcoming General Assembly session, it wasn’t empty rhetoric. We heard parents loud and clear. Governor-elect Youngkin’s nominee for Secretary of Education has a record of supporting innovation and high educational standards, and will serve Virginia students well.

“Secretary-designee Guidera has the kind of experience parents have said they want in our education leadership — she’s a parent with hands-on experience supporting her children as they attended Fairfax County Public Schools. I look forward to getting to know Secretary-designee Guidera and working with her to ensure every student in Virginia gets the high-quality education they deserve.”