SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced the appointment of Deborah "Deb" Sigman as Deputy Superintendent of the California Department of Education's (CDE) Assessment and Accountability Branch.

"I am happy that Deb Sigman has agreed to lead the Assessment and Accountability Branch at the Department of Education," O'Connell said. "Over the past four years, Deb served as the state testing director and has been a valuable member of my leadership team. Deb has more than 30 years of experience in the field of public education and is well respected by school district personnel and leaders in the testing industry. Assessment and accountability are important tools for improving student achievement. I deeply appreciate Deb's combination of experience and knowledge and look forward to working with her in her new capacity."

Sigman, 53, replaces William L. Padia, Ph.D., who retired after 33 years of service at the CDE.

"I am deeply grateful to Bill Padia for his service to the California Department of Education and to the schools, teachers, and students of our state," O'Connell said. "Throughout his career, Bill has done so much to help improve public education. Among his many accomplishments, Bill oversaw the development and implementation of the Academic Performance Index. He also guided California policymakers during the implementation of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Bill is widely respected in California and the nation as a leader in the field of assessment and accountability. I salute him for his 33 years of service at CDE and wish him the very best in his retirement."

As Deputy Superintendent, Sigman will be responsible for CDE programs that range from testing and school recognition to education data and technology.

Immediately prior to her appointment, Sigman was State Testing Director and Director of the Standards and Assessment Division within the same CDE branch, a position she held since 2004. She also worked at the Sacramento City Unified School District as administrator of research, evaluation, and assessment. She also was an administrator in the Elk Grove Unified School District, where she developed district-level assessments and training of teachers in the interpretation and use of assessment data. Sigman holds degrees in psychology and counseling and is trained as a school psychologist.

Sigman is a visiting educator and her salary is paid by the Sacramento City Unified School District.