RICHMOND 鈥 Virginia started a new job in the Trump administration on Monday, as a senior adviser to 鈥 sparking questions about whether the positions pose a conflict of interest.
Northern is on leave from her role as senior vice president for research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy think tank. She is serving in President Donald Trump's administration on an Intergovernmental Personnel Act agreement, a contract between a federal agency and another entity that allows for the temporary assignment of personnel. Northern said she is waiting to receive clarity from "the powers that be" on any potential conflicts of interest.
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In a statement, Virginia Board of Education President Grace Creasey gave a less than ringing endorsement of Northern's dual role.
鈥淎s President of the Board, I am committed to ensuring the highest integrity of the Board of Education and will do everything in my power to shield it from any perceived conflicts of interest,鈥 Creasey said.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin's office and the state Department of Education did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Youngkin appointed both Northern and Creasey to the board - Northern in 2023 and Creasey in 2022. Northern鈥檚 term expires in 2027.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, said Northern needs to either 鈥渞esign or take Virginia鈥檚 side, because she cannot serve two masters.鈥
Surovell added: 鈥淚鈥檓 not surprised the governor is sneaking MAGA acolytes into positions to destroy Virginia's public education system, given his interest in Trump's endorsement for his presidential run. He's already abandoned his advocacy for Virginians for his political ambitions.鈥
Youngkin and McMahon are two of the headliners at the in Greensboro, N.C. this weekend.
Surovell noted that the Virginia Conflict of Interest Act prohibits Virginia appointees from accepting things that could unduly influence performance of their Virginia responsibilities.
In a Trump called for the secretary of education "to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law," to "facilitate the closure of the Department of Education" and return authority over education to states and local communities.
The federal education department聽 that Northern will serve as a senior adviser to McMahon with a focus on reforming the Institute of Education Sciences. This is the federal education department鈥檚 statistics and research branch.
The institute houses the National Center for Education Statistics, which administers the congressionally mandated assessment known as the Nation鈥檚 Report Card. McMahon in March conducted mass layoffs and reduced the number of employees at the center from about 100 to three.聽
In the Friday announcement, the federal education department said IES has failed to provide a clear and compelling research agenda that puts students at the center. The education department asserted that its research contracts often prioritized politically charged topics and entrenched interests over classroom best practices and tools.
鈥淎s we return education to the states, it鈥檚 essential that educators have access to accurate data to inform their work and develop best practices," McMahon said in a statement. "Dr. Northern鈥檚 deep expertise in education statistics and years of experience in the classroom will be an asset as we re-envision the work of IES."
McMahon added: 鈥淥ur goal is to ensure educators have access to reliable and innovative resources that improve outcomes for all students, and we are excited to have Dr. Northern lead the charge.鈥
Northern said in a statement that it鈥檚 an honor to examine the Institute of Education Sciences with fresh eyes. She said she is looking forward to working with the federal education department on the rebuild.
