Forgione Is Confirmed For Top NCES Post
The Senate this month approved two nominations by President Clinton to posts in the Department of Education.
Pascal D. Forgione won confirmation by a voice vote June 3 as the new chief of the department’s statistics branch.
Mr. Forgione, who has worked most recently as state schools superintendent in Delaware, will serve a four-year appointment as the commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics. His term begins July 1.
On June 4, the Senate approved the nomination of Patricia W. McNeil as the assistant secretary for vocational and adult education. She had served as the acting assistant secretary for the past year.
New Research Post Filled
Eve M. Bither, Maine’s former commissioner of education, will become the first executive director of the National Education Research Policy and Priorities Board.
Congress created the board in 1994 as part of a broad effort to overhaul the Department of Education’s research operations. Made up of researchers and practitioners, the board’s job is to help set priorities for department-funded research.
Ms. Bither, who is also a former high school physics teacher, school administrator, and local superintendent, has been working in the department since 1992.
She currently holds two jobs: science and mathematics counselor to Sharon P. Robinson, the assistant secretary for educational research and improvement; and director of the office of reform assistance, a unit created by the 1994 reorganization.
She will give up both posts to direct the research panel full time beginning next week.
