When a retired Ohio Army National Guardsman assumed the director role with the Department of War Education Activity (DOWEA), he melded his civilian education career and military tenure into one cohesive role.
“I’ve been so blessed in my career that the military side made me a better teacher and later administrator,” said Paul Craft, who has been the director since March 9. “And the teaching and administrator side made me a better officer. And I think you see that in certain combinations of National Guard and Reserve careers and civilian careers, how they can really reinforce one another.”
Craft served across the Marine Corps Reserve, Army ROTC and Montana and Ohio National Guards in addition to working his way up from teacher to administrator in the U.S. education system.
“I’m so proud of my time as a National Guardsman, as a reservist. And during those times when I’ve been called back to active duty to serve with our active duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines,” he said, “and now I’m so excited to have the opportunity to serve our military kids and our military families because every kid in America deserves a great education.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in a statement announcing Craft’s addition to DOWEA that the Guard veteran will guide the educational transformation required to provide military-connected children with “the best possible education and opportunities.”
“Paul is a seasoned executive with a strong track record of elevating organizations,” Hegseth stated. “He is the right leader to swiftly reorient DoWEA towards patriotic values and classical learning, consistent with the Department’s focus on merit, standards, and excellence.”
Craft said he’s excited to bring the lessons he’s learned from the broader public school setting to DOWEA, which has 67,000 students spread across 11 countries, 19 time zones, and 161 schools.
“I think you’re going to see a much deeper focus on core knowledge, of building core knowledge,” Craft said.
For example, he said a second grader could read a book about a sandwich walking around town meeting different condiments as a way to teach certain vocabulary or concepts. Or, the same lesson, at the same reading level, with the same objectives, could include reading materials about Booker T. Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or Susan B. Anthony.
Craft said they also want to give students and families the opportunity for choice.
“Classical learning is one of those really exciting growing areas outside in public education and in charter and private education,” he said.
The Classic Learning Test (CLT) was recently added to the list of standardized exams that service academies will accept alongside the SAT and ACT. The text “exists to reconnect knowledge and virtue by providing meaningful assessments and connections to seekers of truth, goodness, and beauty,” according to the for-profit company’s website.
An FAQ expands on the definition of “classic,” calling it a reference to the test’s “use of the greatest and most enduring texts that have informed and shaped society.”
As recently as the 2024-25 school year, fourth- and eighth-grade DOWEA students were among the top performers on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading and Mathematics Assessments. Their average scores ranked between 14 and 25 points higher than the national average.
Craft succeeded Dr. Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, who served as director from June 2024 to March 2026.
