Former San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Carl Cohn has been appointed to a national panel to advise Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings on updates to the No Child Left Behind law.

The Department of Education announced Cohn's appointment to the 16-member National Technical Advisory Council on Tuesday. The council will meet twice a year to advise the department on complex and technical issues regarding the design of academic standards, testing and accountability systems.

Cohn currently has the title of distinguished leader in residence at San Diego State University's College of Education, which involves lecturing, consulting, scholarship and writing.

– Chris Moran