Allen-McMillan Nominated As NJ Department Of Education Head

NEW JERSEY — A New Jersey educator with more than 25 years of experience has been tabbed as the next New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner.

Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan, of Montclair, will serve as the Acting Department of Education Commissioner until she is confirmed by the State Senate, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Tuesday.

If confirmed, she will take over for Interim Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer effective Wednesday. Dehmer had held the position since the appointment of former Commissioner Dr. Lamont Repollet as the President of Kean University in July.

“From Day One, I pledged to select a Commissioner of Education with experience in public education. We fulfilled that promise through the nomination of Dr. Repollet, and maintain that promise today,” Murphy said during a news conference in South Orange. “A product of New Jersey’s public schools, Angelica has worked at all levels of education and knows exactly what our teachers and students need to succeed. She is an exemplary educator and I’m confident she is the leader we need to carry our school communities through the remainder of this pandemic and beyond.”

“I am a proud product of New Jersey’s magnificent public education system and I have dedicated my career to ensuring that the children of this state continue to get the type of education I received,” Allen-McMillan said. “I am extremely proud the Governor has put his faith in me to continue New Jersey’s tradition of educational excellence.”

Allen-McMillan has served as Interim Executive County Superintendent for Morris County since 2018. Before that, she was the Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education for the Newark Public Schools system from 2017-18, and she has also served as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instructions in the Irvington School District.

She has worked as a teacher and administrator in school communities throughout the state for more than 25 years. This includes time as a Life and Physical Science teacher in the East Orange School District, the Executive Director of the Marion P. Thomas Charter School in Newark, Assistant Principal of Clinton Elementary School in Maplewood, and Principal of the Marshall School in South Orange.

She spoke about taking over the position as schools struggle through the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have been knocked down, and will continue to stumble on occasion as we work to stand tall in our fight against COVID-19,” Allen-McMillan said. “This is not as formidable as our resolve, and definitely not indomitable when challenged by our effort.”

Murphy and Allen-McMillan both praised Dehmer for his leadership during the pandemic.

“I’d also like to thank outgoing Interim Commissioner Kevin Dehmer for his tireless service during an unprecedented time for the Department and our state,” Murphy said. “He’ll continue to serve the DOE as CFO and Assistant Commissioner and will work alongside Angelica to advance an agenda that puts our students’ health, achievement, and well-being first, and maintains our state’s reputation as home to the nation’s best public education system.”

"It has been a great honor to serve New Jersey school administrators, educators, students and parents,” Dehmer said. “Together we developed a strong framework that continues to put student success in a safe environment as our top priority. Best wishes to the incoming Commissioner as she continues to build upon the New Jersey education system as the best public schools in the nation."

“We look forward to working closely with Dr. Allen-McMillan in her new role. Strong leadership is more important than ever right now as New Jersey’s public schools continue to navigate this challenging school year," New Jersey Education Association President Marie Blistan, Vice President Sean M. Spiller and Secretary-Treasurer Steve Beatty said in a joint statement. "We are committed to working with the new commissioner to ensure that our students are safe, healthy and learning, and we look forward to bringing the voices of working educators to the table to ensure that happens."

Allen-McMillan earned her baccalaureate degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University, and a master's and a doctorate degree in Education, Leadership, Management, and Policy from Seton Hall University. She is married with three children.