Learning the Language

Margarita Pinkos, the director of the office of English-language acquisition for the U.S. Department of Education, has resigned from her post effective this Friday, according to a department spokeswoman. She became the acting director of that office when Kathleen Leos resigned as director at the end of October. She was named the director in December. In an e-mail message, the department spokeswoman said Ms. Pinkos resigned from her post "to return to Florida to be with her family."

Starting on Monday, May 26, Richard L. Smith will become the acting director of the office of English-language acquisition. He's been with the department for 16 years and has been the chief of staff/administrative officer for that office since March 2006, according to information received from the department spokeswoman.

I recognize Mr. Smith as the person who is coordinating the intake of comments about the proposed interpretation for Title III under the No Child Left Behind Act that the Education Department published in the May 2 Federal Register.