Lillian M. Lowery facts for kids

Lillian M. Lowery (born 1954 – died April 13, 2022) was an important American leader in education. She worked as a government official and a teacher. She is best known for being the Superintendent of the Maryland State Department of Education. She held this top education job in Maryland from 2012 to 2015. Before that, she was the Secretary of Education for the state of Delaware.

Early Life and Education

Lillian M. Lowery was born in Gastonia, North Carolina. She loved learning and went to several universities. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English from North Carolina Central University. Later, she received a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in curriculum and instruction. This degree was from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She then earned her highest degree, an Ed.D., which is a doctorate in education. She studied education and policy at Virginia Tech.

A Career in Schools

After finishing her Master's degree in 1978, Dr. Lowery began her career as a teacher. She taught English to middle school students in Gaston County Schools in North Carolina. In 1984, she moved to Virginia and taught in the Alexandria City Public Schools.

From 1988 to 2002, Dr. Lowery took on many different roles. She worked in the Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia. She was a high school English teacher, an assistant principal, and a principal. She also worked to help minority students succeed.

In 2002, she became an Area Administrator for the Fort Wayne Community Schools in Indiana. She helped manage schools in that area. She returned to Fairfax County Public Schools in 2004. There, she served as an Assistant Superintendent.

From 2006 to 2009, Dr. Lowery was the Superintendent of the Christina School District in Newark, Delaware. As a superintendent, she was in charge of all the schools in that district.

Leading State Education

Dr. Lowery's leadership skills led her to state-level positions. In 2009, she became the Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education. In this role, she helped guide education policies for the entire state of Delaware. She worked closely with the state's governor.

In 2012, she was appointed Superintendent of the Maryland State Department of Education. This was a very important job. She was responsible for overseeing public education across all of Maryland. She worked with Governors Martin O'Malley and Larry Hogan.

Later Career and Legacy

In September 2015, Dr. Lowery left her role in Maryland. She became the first President and CEO of FutureReady Columbus. This was a non-profit group in Columbus, Ohio. It focused on helping young children get ready for school.

In 2017, she joined The Education Trust. This national non-profit organization works to make education fair for all students. She served as Vice President for PreK-12 Policy, Research, and Practice.

In 2018, she took on a new role at the Educational Testing Service (ETS). ETS is a well-known organization that creates tests like the SAT. She became the Vice President of Student and Teacher Assessments. She retired from ETS in January 2022.

Lillian M. Lowery passed away on April 13, 2022. She is remembered for her long career dedicated to improving education for students across the United States.