Peter McLaren is the Executive Director of Next Gen Education, LLC and works as a consultant with states and districts in support of the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards and other three-dimensional state science standards based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012). In his previous work Mr. McLaren served in a number of roles in the area of science education policy including Director of the State and District Support for Science at Achieve, Science and Technology Specialist at the Rhode Island Department of Education and President of the Council of State Science Supervisors (CSSS) serving as President from July 2010 until April 2013.

McLaren served as a member of the national writing committee for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the National Academy of Engineering's Guiding Implementation of K-12 Engineering Educationcommittee, and the National Academy of Science Committee for Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards in addition to other STEM and science related publications.

An award-winning educator, McLaren was a teacher of science for 13 years at both the high-school and middle-school level. In 2001 he was recognized with the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award and in 1995 as the Rhode Island Science Teacher of the Year by the MIT-sponsored Network of Educators of Science and Technology. He holds BS and MA degrees in Science Education from the University of Rhode Island.