A New Leader for Massachusetts Schools: Pedro Martinez Steps Up

Pedro Martinez is the new boss of Massachusetts schools. He started his job in the summer. His main goal is to make sure all students get a good education. He wants to work with school leaders to improve things. Martinez is the first Latino to lead the state's education department. He came to the U. S. from Mexico as a kid. He is the first in his family to finish high school and college. He has a degree in accounting and another in financial services. Before coming to Massachusetts, Martinez worked in Chicago. He helped improve reading scores and graduation rates. He also made the teacher workforce more diverse. But he had some problems with the school board and the teachers union. He even sued them. Martinez has also worked in Texas and Nevada. In Nevada, he was almost fired but got a big settlement instead. In Texas, he stood up to the governor during the pandemic. He made masks and vaccines mandatory for school employees. Now, Martinez faces new challenges in Massachusetts. Schools are dealing with budget issues and helping students catch up after the pandemic. He plans to listen to local school leaders and support literacy programs. He also wants to improve education for English learners and disabled students.