The Public Education Foundation has added two key employees, one to analyze school data and another to work with Chattanooga's new science, technology, engineering and math school.
Officials announced Keith White, an education analyst at Kentucky's Legislative Research Commission, as PEF's new director of research and effectiveness. In his role, he will work to gather, analyze and present school system data in PEF's effort to boost student achievement.
"Data drives everything we do," PEF President Dan Challener said in a statement. "It was important to find someone who not only understands educational data, but can make it useful to teachers and administrators so they can build effective strategies to help students reach their potential."
PEF officials also named Keri Randolph STEM Innovation Hub Director of Learning, a role in which she's tasked with bringing STEM techniques and best practices to educators throughout the region. As part of Hamilton County's new STEM school, the associated hub will work on improving STEM education in schools throughout the county and region.
"The opportunity to work with teachers to help improve instruction in science, technology, engineering and math is so exciting," Randolph said in a news release. "The STEM Innovation Hub will help our students succeed in an exceedingly global marketplace - it's an important time for our community and I'm thrilled to be a part of it."
Randolph is a former master teacher for the STEM teacher preparation program, UTeaChattanooga. Before coming to Tennessee, she was a finalist for North Carolina Teacher of the Year as a high school teacher.