COVID-Era MA Education Commissioner To Step Down In March

MASSACHUSETTS — Jeffrey Riley, who steered state guidance on the switch to remote learning during the onset of the COVID-19 health crisis, then the push to return to classroom learning a year later as well as the elimination of mask mandates early in 2022, will step down from his role as commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in March.

Riley's resignation is effective on March 15 — which happens to be the fourth anniversary of former Gov. Charlie Baker's declaration of what at the time was forecast to be a three-week shutdown of schools, businesses and public buildings at the start of the pandemic.

"The central, novel challenge of our time together was the COVID pandemic," Riley said in his resignation letter to the DESE Board of Directors. "Through collaboration with infectious disease physicians and multiple state agencies, we produced nation-leading COVID-19 school reopening guidance in June 2020 and served as an early and continuous advocate for a safe return to in-person learning.

"Especially important were our contributions to the national research on the safety of three feet of social distancing, our implementation of a new 'Test and Stay' protocol, and the decision to require that all schools return to in-person learning beginning in April 2021, over strong objections from many, when it became apparent that in-school transmission rates were extremely low."

Riley drew fire from both those who urged a more immediate return to the classroom and the elimination of mask mandates as well as those in districts that sought extensions of remote and hybrid learning during the vaccine rollout in the spring of 2021 when the state forced them back to in-person learning by, in part, declaring that remote school hours would no longer count toward the 180 days of school required for a full year.

"At some point, as health metrics continue to improve, we will need to take the remote and hybrid learning models off the table and return to a traditional school format," Riley said in February 2021.

"We provided early warnings that prolonged disruptions to in-person learning would also create significant challenges to students' mental and physical health and wellbeing," he said on Thursday.

In his resignation letter, Riley also took credit for helping guide the implementation of the new comprehensive health and physical education curriculum framework, expansion in early college programs and after-dark career technical education programs, advocacy for universal school meals, and improving early literacy education.

"We're grateful for Commissioner Riley's leadership to make sure Massachusetts continues to have the greatest schools in the country and to support our incredible students and educators every step of the way, particularly through the challenging years of the COVID-19 pandemic," Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. "We thank him for his years of service to the people of Massachusetts and wish him the very best in this new chapter."

After extending the mask mandate several times to begin the 2021-22 school year, Baker and Riley announced the state would allow it to expire with seven full school days remaining before February vacation in 2022 to give individual communities time to determine whether they will go along with the state recommendation to make masks optional or keep masking in their districts.

"During the past two years, the impact of COVID has caused a strain on (students') mental health, emotional well-being and academic success," Riley said at the time of the decision to move toward masking as an "individual choice" among students and teachers. "We are relieved to now be in a place where we can provide children additional relief from COVID-19 restrictions so they can continue to move toward normalcy in the classroom."

Riley said he would recommend Deputy Commissioner Russell Johnston to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to serve as the Acting Commissioner. To support the transition, Riley said he will be available to serve as an advisor through the end of the school year.