There’s an important new appointment over at the Institute of Education Sciences. The agency announced last week that University of Pennsylvania researcher Rebecca Maynard will be the new commissioner of its National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. Read all about it here.
This is a key post because NCEE will be helping to lead the evaluation of all the funding programs launched by the U.S. Department of Education with stimulus dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Formerly headed by Phoebe Cottingham, the center also oversees the 10 regional education laboratories, which IES director John Easton has said are due for an overhaul soon.
Currently a professor of education and social policy at UPenn, Maynard has a national reputation as a distinguished scholar. But she’s also no stranger to IES. She directed one of the postdoctoral training programs for budding researchers that the department funds and also played role in helping to shape the What Works Clearinghouse. Her appointment takes effect today.