Miles Selected as Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity

Dr. Shirley. Miles

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - Dr. Shirley A. Miles has been selected as the new Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). Dr. Miles' selection was made recently by Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and announced by Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Dr. David S.C. Chu.

Dr. Miles has served as DoDEA's Associate Director for Education and Principal Deputy Director since joining the organization in June 2007. She becomes the sixth Director.

In making the announcement, Dr. Chu cited Dr. Miles' experience and her commitment to excellence as important factors in her selection as the new DoDEA Director.

"Dr. Miles has over 30 years of experience in education and in the private sector and she has demonstrated a dedication and a passion for achieving excellence," said Dr. Chu. "Her appointment as DoDEA's new Director is a natural progression from her current role as the Deputy Director and it ensures a seamless transition during challenging times. She is well prepared to take this excellent school system into the future by focusing on continuous improvement and developing new approaches to ensure educational success for military students around the world - both inside and outside the gate."

Dr. Miles, responding on her selection is looking toward the future and focusing on student achievement.

"I am honored to have been selected for this position and I'm looking forward to leading this great organization as we continue to focus on high student achievement and preparing our students for success inside and outside of the classroom," she said. "The DoDEA Team is committed to excellence and to serving the families of our nation's dedicated Servicemembers."

Prior to joining DoDEA, Dr. Miles was the Superintendent for the Tempe Union High School District, a 14,000-student high school district (grades 9 through 12) in Tempe, Arizona. Dr. Miles began her education career in Colorado Springs, Colo., where she taught history, economics and law for the Air Academy School District and went on to serve as an assistant principal and high school principal in Denver, Colorado and later became the Human Resources Director for the Academy District in Colorado Springs. Dr. Miles was also an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado (Colorado Springs) training educators in school supervision and evaluation, multicultural education, and other courses designed for school principals.

Dr. Miles earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Denver in 2001 and was awarded a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado in 1990. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado in 1984. She is a member of a variety of professional organizations including: Arizona School Administrators Association; Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development; and the American Association of School Personnel Administrators. She is also an active member of many business and community organizations and has received numerous awards and certificates for community service and professional achievement.

No stranger to military communities, Dr. Miles was born in Panama where her father was in the U.S. Army. As a youth, she grew accustomed to the regular movement of families and became familiar with the transition issues associated with military family moves, moving 7 times throughout her elementary, middle and high school years. She graduated from Fountain-Ft. Carson High School in Ft. Carson, Colorado. Her father retired from the U.S. Army as a Sergeant Major, and members of her family have served continuously in the Armed Forces since 1947. Two of her brothers graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Her brother, Brig. Gen. Lloyd Miles, is currently serving as the Deputy Commanding General of Fort Benning and the Assistant Commandant of the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga.

Dr. Chu said of Dr. Miles, "Her exceptional experience as DoDEA's Associate Director for Education, in addition to her own life experience as a child and sister of military members, will serve as important foundations for her relationship with military families, who value education for their children as one of their primary life concerns."

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages the education programs for Department of Defense (DoD) dependents who would otherwise not have access to a high-quality public education. DoDEA consists of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) located overseas, and the Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) located in the United States and its territories and possessions. DoDEA provides education to eligible DoD military and civilian dependents from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

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