A former Virginia superintendent of the year was named state superintendent of public instruction Thursday by Gov. Ralph Northam.
Chesterfield County Superintendent James Lane was named to the post, which had been filled on an interim basis since January when Steve Staples retired.
Over the next few years, Lane will guide implementation of new state and federal accreditation standards that determine how well schools are performing.
Lane has led Chesterfield County schools, the fifth largest district in the state, since 2016. Before that, he was superintendent in Goochland and Middlesex counties. He’s worked also as a teacher and school administrator.
