ALEXANDRIA, VA — August 20, 2012 — Pentagon officials announced today the selection of Mr. Adrian B. Talley as Principal Deputy Director and Associate Director for Education for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). The selection was made through a competitive process.

As DoDEA's Principal Deputy Director and Associate Director for Education, Mr. Talley will be responsible for the instructional and educational programs in DoDEA's 194 schools worldwide. He will also oversee personnel operations involving more than 16,000 DoDEA employees who support military families overseas and in the United States and its territories.

With more than 25 years' experience in education, Mr. Talley is currently serving as the associate superintendent for the Office of Shared Accountability (OSA) in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland. His office oversees the Department of Policy, Records, and Reporting, the Applied Research Unit, Program Evaluation Unit, Internal Curriculum Audit Unit, and the Testing Unit, all of which provide information and analysis to support continuous improvement of both academic and operational services within the school system. MCPS is the 16th largest school district within the United States with more than 146,000 students and 200 schools.

Prior to his current role as associate superintendent, Mr. Talley was one of six community superintendents for MCPS responsible for the Clarksburg, Damascus, Gaithersburg, Magruder, and Watkins Mill Clusters. In this position, he directly supported and supervised 40 schools with approximately 30,000 students. He was also the MCPS director of school performance.

Before he became a central office administrator, Mr. Talley was the principal of Rosemont Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Maryland and was principal of Hutchinson Elementary School in Pelham, New York. Mr. Talley taught in both Montgomery County, Maryland and in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Mr. Talley earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from the University of Virginia and his Master's of Arts degree in Higher Education Administration from Boston College. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the George Washington University working on a doctorate in Education Administration and Policy Study. Mr. Talley has presented at both local and national conferences on a variety of topics ranging from effectively using Title 1 funding to systematic approaches to closing the achievement gap.

Mr. Talley is no stranger to military communities. His father retired from the U.S. Air Force with 23 years of service. He and his family have lived in military communities at Tachikawa Air Force Base, Japan; March Air Force Base, Calif.; Caserne Lariboisiere Headquarters Detachment, Fointainebleau, France; Ent Air Force Base, Colorado; Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany; Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; and Loring Air Force Base, Maine. Mr. Talley began his educational journey in Kindergarten at Spangdahlem Air Base.

In announcing the selection, officials said, "DoDEA's commitment to highest student achievement is a critical quality of life factor for military families around the world. Mr. Talley's career demonstrates that same exact commitment to highest student achievement and educational excellence. He brings invaluable experience and a wealth of knowledge to advance DoDEA's efforts toward mission success. He is a product of DoDEA schools and he understands our mission and the unique challenges military-connected students and their families face every day."

DoDEA Director, Ms. Marilee Fitzgerald, echoed those sentiments in commenting on Talley's selection.

"Our interview panel was impressed with Mr. Talley's experience, insight, and perspective. In addition to the breadth and depth of his experience in education, Mr. Talley brings a knowledge and understanding of the frequent moves, transitions, and adjustments military-connected students face. He knows that not only do their parents serve this nation, but also they serve as well," she said.

Fitzgerald said Mr. Talley will be instrumental in developing critical programs and curriculum that will chart DoDEA's future course and infuse excellence into every aspect of its operation.

"Mr. Talley will play a key role in our goal to be the nation's leader in educating military-connected children," she said. His vision, experience, and talents are critical to the development and implementation of a new and exciting direction for this school system. DoDEA is embarking on a number of bold, new initiatives - 21st Century Teaching, Learning and Leading; adoption of the Common Core Standards, increased rigor and technology-rich learning environments. These programs are critical to establishing, maintaining and sustaining excellence and highest student achievement for each and every military school-age student regardless of where they live or what schools they attend."

For Mr. Talley, being selected as DoDEA's new Principal Deputy Director and Associate Director for Education is coming full circle.

"I look forward to working with Ms. Fitzgerald and helping her shape our schools to become the best possible," Mr. Talley said. "Coming to work for DODEA is, in a manner of speaking, an opportunity for me go back 'home.' My brothers and I attended DODEA schools and that personal connection is the energy that fuels the passion I have for serving the military families. I look forward to talking with staff and families about our schools, and I feel it is extremely important to have open lines of communication to learn from those whom I will support."

Mr. Talley will begin his new assignment with DoDEA in early September.

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education programs for Department of Defense dependents that would otherwise not have access to a high-quality public education. DoDEA schools are located in Europe, the Pacific, the United States, Guam, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. DoDEA also provides support and resources to Local Education Activities throughout the U.S. that serve children of military families.