James Kvaal Appointed Education Undersecretary

Education Department officials confirmed Wednesday that James Kvaal, a special assistant at the White House National Economic Council, would fill Robert Shireman's soon-to-be-vacated position of deputy under secretary.

Kvaal and Shireman both worked on education issues in the Clinton administration, and they co-wrote a 2004 paper that documented how a group of student loan providers took advantage of a loophole in federal law that allowed them to tap into billions of dollars in unwarranted payments. They have worked closely together since joining the Obama administration, with Shireman largely setting the postsecondary agenda within the Education Department, and Kvaal, as an adviser to President Obama, playing a key role in steering and selling that agenda.

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