Ruth Curran Neild, the commissioner of the National Center for Education Evaluation and Technical Assistance, has been named the U.S. Department of Education’s director of policy and research, a role that includes directing the Institute of Education Sciences.
Ms. Neild came to the center, housed at the ies, in 2011 as the associate commissioner of knowledge utilization. Previously, she was a research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools and a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.
Forrest Claypool, the chief of staff for Chicago’s mayor, is the new chief executive officer of the Chicago public schools. He previously served as president of the Chicago Transit Authority and superintendent of the Chicago Park District.
In addition, Janice K. Jackson has been named the new chief education officer. She has worked for the district for a decade and a half.
Ken Wagner, the senior deputy commissioner for education policy at the New York state educationdepartment, has been chosen commissioner of education for Rhode Island.
He also has experience as a middle school principal and has worked as a school psychologist.
Laura Bay, a former Washington state parent-teacher-association president, is the new leader of the national organization.
She had previously been secretary-treasurer of the National PTA and has served on the national board and numerous committees.
She has also worked as an educator inthe Bremerton, Wash., district where she works as a coordinator for assessment and instruction.
Paul Pastorek, a former Louisiana schools chief, has been named a co-executive director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation’s education work.
He will serve alongside Gregory McGinity, a former congressional staffer and education policy consultant with the California board of education.
