LaVonne M. Sheffield has been appointed the chief academic officer of the Detroit public schools.
Ms. Sheffield, 50, has been the interim chief academic officer since March. While serving in that capacity, she has been responsible for realigning the district schools’ curriculum to fit the requirements of the federal “No Child Left Behind” Act of 2001.
Before being tapped as the interim academic chief, Ms. Sheffield was the chief of staff for the 161,000-student school system.
Wisconsin state schools Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster has been named the chairwoman-elect of the Denver-based Compact for Learning and Citizenship.
Ms. Burmaster, who will succeed Chairman Randall H. Collins in July 2004, is currently serving a four-year term as Wisconsin’s state school chief. Her term ends in July 2005.
The compact is part of the Education Commission of the States, a Denver-based nonprofit organization that helps identify, develop, and implement policies to improve student learning.
Darrel W. Drury has joined New American Schools as the vice president for research and evaluation of the Alexandria, Va.-based organization’s Education Performance Network.
Mr. Drury, 52, was formerly the director of policy research for the Alexandria, Va.-based National School Boards Association.
In his new job, Mr. Drury will assist districts and states in complying with the accountability provisions of the “No Child Left Behind” Act of 2001.
New American Schools’ mission is to raise student achievement through comprehensive school improvement.
—Catherine Carroll
