Interim Education Commissioner to Be Appointed

The chief academic officer for Connecticut's Department of Education is being tapped as the state's interim education commissioner.

Dianna Wentzell will officially be appointed to the interim job on Wednesday. She has been chief academic officer since January 2013. She previously worked for both the Hartford and South Windsor School districts.

Wentzell will serve as the state's commissioner until a permanent replacement for Stefan Pryor is found. Pryor announced in August that he would not serve a second term. He said Wentzell has been "an invaluable member" of the education department's senior team.

Pryor was recently nominated to become Rhode Island's first commerce secretary.

On Wednesday, the State Board of Education is expected to form a personnel search committee to find a permanent education commissioner.