MD State Superintendent of Schools Named a Commissioner of NCTAF

WASHINGTON - Aug. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- Dr. Lillian M. Lowery, Maryland’s State Superintendent of Schools, has been named a commissioner of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF).

In this advisory role, Dr. Lowery will bring her on-the-ground experiences that have impacted school systems in Maryland, Delaware, Indiana, and Virginia to provide guidance to the Commission’s overall direction, research and national conversations.

“We are so delighted that Dr. Lowery is joining the Commission.  She brings vast knowledge and expertise to NCTAF’s work around supporting and strengthening the teaching profession,” said the Honorable Richard W. Riley, Co-chair of NCTAF and former U.S. Secretary of Education.  “As NCTAF seeks to raise visibility on what teachers need in this new era of standards and accountability, Dr. Lowery’s experiences with best practices to encourage effective teaching for all students will prove to be particularly helpful.”

After spending 17 years in the classroom at both the middle and high school levels, Dr. Lowery transitioned into administration roles where she has had the authority to implement systems that improve instructional opportunities for students. Dr. Lowery served for three years as the Secretary of Education in Delaware and then she became Maryland’s top school executive in 2012. She recently played an instrumental role in a landmark agreement in which leaders from eight Maryland education organizations have joined together to support the implementation of Student Learning Objectives (SLOs), a key component of the new teacher and principal evaluation system in the state.

“I have the utmost respect for Dr. Lowery. She is a true leader in education. Recently, she has led the field in common core implementation, and she has proven repeatedly that she knows how to rise above the political discourse to get the job done,” said Melinda George, NCTAF’s President.

A graduate in English and Secondary Education at North Carolina Central University, Dr. Lowery received her Master's of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of North Carolina, and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Polytechnic and State University.