Pentagon’s school system director stepping down

Pentagon’s school system director stepping down

The director of the Pentagon’s school system, Paul Craft, is resigning at the end of this month — less than eight months after being selected to lead the agency, a Defense official confirmed to The Hill Thursday.

The official said Craft, who stepped into the Department of Defense Education Activity’s (DoDEA) director role in early March, “ led efforts to reform ” the agency in “support of our military children and families.”

“Under his leadership, the DoWEA sharpened its focus on the fundamentals: strong classrooms, well-prepared teachers, transparent engagement with parents, and high academic standards for our military-connected students around the world,” the official said in a statement. “He led a comprehensive update to the DoWEA Blueprint for Continuous Improvement and helped realign the organization around the people it exists to serve: our students, parents, educators and military families.”

The official did not share why Craft, who began leading the DoDEA March 9 , is stepping down.

The agency did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment.

DoDEA is an education system that operates 160 schools in 11 countries, seven states and two U.S. territories for over 67,000 dependent children of U.S. military personnel and civilian staff.

Craft, a retired colonel in the Ohio Army National Guard, was picked after Beth Schiavino-Narvaez stepped down in early March. The Pentagon did not say at the time why Schiavino-Narvaez left the post.

Before Schiavino-Narvaez, the DoDEA was led by Thomas Brady, a retired colonel, from 2014 to 2024 .

“Craft’s work reduced unnecessary bureaucracy and maximize resource delivery to local school communities. During his tenure, Craft focused on supporting military families, recognizing the connection between family well-being and force readiness,” the Pentagon official said. “He understood that when parents trust the education their children receive, they can remain focused on their mission .”

The official said the Pentagon is “ grateful ” for Craft’s service to “ our military families and wishes him and his family well in their next chapter.”

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