Abigail Potts

Abigail (Abby) Potts works to engage and empower members to lead and advocate in federal and state policy in the best interest of students, educators, and families. She tracks key policy issues where state boards will play a critical leadership role, synthesizes research and evidence on member policy priorities, and facilitates the work of NASBE’s Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and Public Education Positions (PEP).  Potts brings two decades of experience in federal and state education policy along with a passion for the role of data in advancing educational equity. She previously served as a research scientist at the US Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics where she analyzed the Civil Rights Data Collection’s wide-ranging educational access and opportunity data.  Potts has also served as a senior policy advisor within the US Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education where she focused on state implementation of assessment and accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. Before government service, Potts supported state development of K-12 education policy and the public reporting of education indicators at the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Potts attended public school in Alexandria, Virginia, and currently resides in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood.