The Maryland state superintendent of schools, Lillian Lowery, abruptly announced her resignation on Aug 28. In September, she’s expected to become president and chief executive officer of Future Ready Columbus, a new nonprofit focused on improving education in Columbus, Ohio.
The Columbus Partnership, which created Future Ready Columbus, was originally focused on economic development, but its members quickly found the best path to a healthy metro economy has to begin with a strong academic network. So, with charter schools as well as traditional public schools, big universities and community colleges, the partnership has pursued different ways of making a difference in the quality of education.
Bringing on Dr Lowery is certain to bode well for those students, as she brings with her a wealth of understanding about how public schools work and what works in them.
During her tenure, which began in July 2012, more Maryland students graduated high school than ever before. At the same time, dropout rates fell to a new low.
She focused on the importance of educating students for careers as well as college, initiating a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) plan and a statewide Computer Science Initiative to provide students with more opportunities to acquire in-demand skills in career pathways that address the needs of local employers and the global economy.
We wish her well, as we wish Columbus schools and students the best.
The Maryland State Board of Education appointed Jack R Smith, the state education department’s current chief academic officer, as interim state superintendent.
