New Chief Brings State Lessons To Title I Office

Back in 1984, Zollie Stevenson Jr. was on the front lines in a state that was experimenting with setting academic standards and creating tests aligned with them.

Fresh off earning his doctorate in educational psychology, Mr. Stevenson worked as a regional coordinator for research and testing at the North Carolina education department. He helped 17 school districts implement the state’s new assessment system—one of the first in the nation to measure students against a standard rather than a national norm.

Now, Mr. Stevenson is at the center of the action for all 50 states. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings recently promoted him to director of the office that runs the...