Senior Associate Commissioner of Secondary Schools and Beyond

The Education Secretariat is committed to equity and valuing the unique and diverse characteristics and experiences of every member of its workforce. We encourage an authentic workplace where colleagues show up as their full selves and where collaboration, innovation, and connections are key to realizing our mission that all children, youth, and families thrive socially, academically, and economically. We seek teammates committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment where everyone is valued and engaged.

We encourage you to apply and identify your strengths in these areas.

Educational Vision of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary

Education:

Our educational vision describes the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) aspiration for elementary and secondary public education and adult basic education in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This vision is anchored in our commitment to high-quality teaching and learning in the Commonwealth. We will continue to work with districts, schools, and educators to promote teaching and learning that is antiracist, inclusive, multilingual, and multicultural;

that values and affirms each and every student and their families; and that creates equitable opportunities and experiences for all students, particularly those who have been historically underserved. For more information on our vision, .

The Senior Associate Commissioner of Secondary Schools and Beyond will report to Deputy Commissioner, Lauren Woo and will directly supervise three offices:
College, Career, and Technical Education (CCTE), the Office of Early College (OEC), and Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS). Together, these offices oversee 36 FTEs. The role will be to coordinate efforts across these three offices so that the Department provides coherent and consistent supports for secondary students and adult learners throughout the Commonwealth.

One key component of both the Secretariat and the Department's vision is around reimagining the high school experience and supporting all students in pursuing meaningful postsecondary opportunities. The Senior Associate Commissioner of Secondary Schools and Beyond will play a key role in developing a comprehensive strategy to meet this goal, including the development of policy, oversight of programming, and seeding innovative new ideas.

Additionally, the Senior Associate Commissioner for Secondary Schools and Beyond will be responsible for the implementation of the Commonwealth statewide graduation framework, as recommended by the Statewide Graduation Council. The framework consists of seven elements focused on helping students build a strong academic foundation, demonstrate mastery of course content, show their creativity and develop real-world problem-solving skills.

The Senior Associate Commissioner of Secondary Schools and Beyond will organize twice weekly coordination meetings of the directors and assistant directors of those teams, monthly data review meetings with the leaders of CCTE, EC and ACLS, and quarterly all staff meetings. The Senior Associate Commissioner of Secondary Schools and Beyond will also be responsible for the Department’s relationship with the Early College Joint Committee (ECJC) and the quarterly meetings as well as managing the relationship with the Executive Office of Education (EOE) and the Department of Higher Education (DHE).

Finally, the Senior Associate Commissioner of Secondary Schools and Beyond will be responsible for directing specific inter- and intraoffice initiatives that require a high level of oversight and coordination.

• Supervise the office of College, Career, and Technical Education (CCTE), the Office of Early College (OEC), and Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS) – 36 FTEs
• Provide oversight and direction on all secondary and postsecondary policy and programming across the agency including coordination across offices within DESE who support secondary schools (e.g., Statewide System of Support (SSoS), Office for Strategic Transformation (OST), Center for Instructional Support (CIS), etc.) and within the Department of…