Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has replaced the director of Defense Department-run schools for military children.
Defense officials announced Feb. 20 that Beth Schiavino-Narvaez will step down from her role as director of the Department of Defense Education Activity on March 6. Paul Craft, a retired Army colonel, will step into the role effective March 9.
No reason was given for the change.
But in announcing the appointment of Craft to the position, Hegseth stated, “He is the right leader to swiftly reorient [DOD] towards patriotic values and classical learning, consistent with the Department’s focus on merit, standards, and excellence.”
Some military family advocates contacted by Military Times said military families are watching this transition closely.
“Secretary Hegseth has said the system will be reoriented toward ‘patriotic values’ under this new leadership. But military kids don’t need to be taught patriotism; it’s their lived experience every day alongside their parents in uniform,” said Libby Jamison, a founding member of Military Families for Free Expression, a nonpartisan coalition of military-connected families working to protect free expression and opposing censorship in their communities.
“If anything, they are the ones who could teach the rest of us what patriotism looks like in practice. What military-connected students do need is steady, credible leadership that protects academic freedom, resists censorship, and ensures that every student feels included and supported,” Jamison said.
Craft brings “a unique combination of military command and education experience” to DODEA, the Pentagon statement said, noting Craft served for 31 years in the Ohio Army National Guard.
Craft most recently served as superintendent for public instruction for Ohio, where he was responsible for the licensure of more than 350,000 individuals. He previously served as a physics teacher and coach, and in other administrative and executive roles in the public and private sectors.
He also previously served as superintendent of Buckeye Valley Local Schools and Delaware City Schools, both in Ohio.
Hegseth described Craft as “a seasoned executive with a strong track record of elevating organizations.”
DOD officials stated that the focus is on “embracing the fundamentals of excellence in education for the more than 67,000 military-connected children studying in our 161 [DOD] schools,” emphasizing parental transparency, high expectations for students, superb teachers and rigorous curriculum. DODEA operates schools in 11 countries, seven states and two territories for K-12 students, and have begun offering universal pre-K in nearly all their elementary schools.
“When our warriors sign up to serve, we commit to taking care of them and their families,” Hegseth said in the announcement. “Paul is going to guide the K-12 transformation required to deliver on this promise, providing our military-connected children with the best possible education and opportunities.”
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In recent years, DODEA students have consistently ranked at the top of the nation in scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, continuing the trend in reading and math in 2025. The NAEP is the only nationally representative assessment of what American students know and can do in various subject areas, and they’re conducted periodically.
“I am delighted that DODEA has once again performed exceptionally well on the National Assessment of Educational Progress,” said Schiavino-Narvaez, in announcing the results in January 2025. “Credit for this success belongs to our incredible teachers, administrators, and staff of DODEA, and most importantly to our students and their families, for all their hard work and dedication.”
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata thanked Schiavino-Narvaez for her service to DODEA.
“We appreciate her contributions to the organization, as well as her support facilitating a seamless transition,” Tata said in the announcement.
Schiavino-Narvaez joined DODEA in 2016, and had been the chief academic officer before being named superintendent. She has more than 30 years of experience in education, including serving as a superintendent of public schools and other administrative positions, as well as a school principal and teacher.
Craft is at least the second retired military officer to serve as director of DODEA. Thomas Brady, a retired colonel, led the organization from 2014 to 2024, immediately before Schiavino-Narvaez took the helm.
Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book “A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families.” She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.
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