Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley will resign on March 15 after six years leading Massachusetts' K-12 school system, according to a letter sent to the state Board of Education on Thursday. It's planned.
According to a press release from DESE, Reilly will recommend Vice Chair Russell Johnston to the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee as acting chair, and Reilly will remain as an advisor until the end of the school year.
“This is the right time to pass the baton,” the commissioner wrote in his resignation letter.
“On a personal level, my role as a son to my elderly parents requires more time, and my commitment to providing that support is not compatible with the demands of the Chief Secretary's job.More broadly, , and looking back at major new initiatives such as “I realized that, but I can't do it,” he said.
Gov. Maura Healey recently proposed a $30 million “promote literacy” program to distribute high-quality literacy materials to dozens of school districts in response to continued challenges in reading and writing among young students. This effort was made possible largely through the support of Mr. Riley and Congress. State Board of Education.
In his resignation letter to the board, the chairman cited last year's efforts to change the way sex education is taught in schools, including the “introduction of a new comprehensive health and physical education curriculum framework,” and the “continued diversification of education.” , listed the achievements during his tenure. Educator Corps,” “Significant Expansion of Early College Programs and After-Dark Career Technical Education Programs,” and “Creation of Innovative Scientific Assessments and New Civic Assessments.”
Riley has led the state Department of Education through the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring schools to close and reopen, begin pool testing and provide guidance on mask mandates.
In a letter to the board, Riley called the pandemic “a central and novel challenge of our time together.”
“Particularly important were our contributions to the national study on the safety of 3-foot social distancing, the implementation of new 'test and stay' protocols, and
All schools will be required to return to in-person learning from April 2021, over the strong opposition of many after finding that in-school transmission rates are extremely low. In fact, we warned early on that a prolonged disruption to in-person learning could also pose significant challenges to the mental and physical health and well-being of our students,” he wrote.
Riley faced backlash from all quarters for his decision to reopen schools. Both from those who think schools should have reopened sooner and those who are concerned about continued transmission of the virus among children.
In the years since schools reopened, one of the chief focuses of the Secretary and the Department has been to help children recover from the academic and social setbacks caused by being out of school for more than a year. It was something to do.
He has been a vocal supporter of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) at a time when the system has come under scrutiny. A rise in chronic absenteeism across the state has led to calls to get kids back into the classroom, and the state recently celebrated the passage of new sex education standards that are more up-to-date and inclusive of LGBTQ+ people.
“From an early age, my parents instilled in me the belief that in this country, anyone can do anything if they work hard. But it only works if all kids start from the same place. “I realized that it was limited to ,” Riley said. In a statement. “For more than 30 years in education, I have worked to level the playing field to give all children an equal opportunity to achieve their goals. For the students, teachers, and families of the commonwealth. It has been the honor of my life to work for DESE.'' I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and proud of what the team at DESE has accomplished. ”
Riley began her teaching career in Baltimore and later worked in Boston Public Schools, serving as principal of Edwards Middle School. He was later appointed Superintendent of Secondary Schools and K-12 for the Boston Public School District. DESE Immediately prior to his appointment as commissioner, Riley served in Lawrence Public Schools as the district's first state-appointed receiver.
“He served as a receiver for six years and has been involved in a program that improves academic scores for MCAS students, increases graduation rates, lowers dropout rates, and creates a group of parent advisors in each school in the 13,000-student district. “Lawrence Public Schools received national attention,” a press release about the resignations said.
DESE Board of Directors Chairwoman Katherine Craven issued a statement saying, “During this historic time of pandemic and social and educational disruption,” Riley is “prioritizing the urgent need to return our children to in-school learning.” I was grateful for his work.
“We advocate for universal school lunches, our groundbreaking work in creating, defending, and expanding early college programs across Massachusetts, our nationally recognized deep learning work, and our commitment to quality education for all. From helping them access evidence-based reading instruction, to helping students access evidence-based reading instruction. Massachusetts students will reap the benefits of his research for years to come,” Craven said. .
