Dr. Lillian Lowery

As Delaware’s Secretary of Education, Dr. Lillian M. Lowery supervises, directs, and accounts for the administration and operation of the Delaware Department of Education. Appointed by Gov. Jack Markell in January 2009, she oversees federal and state policy and regulatory implementation and leads technical assistance for the state’s districts and charter schools. 

Lowery facilitated a statewide strategic planning and grant application process -- including teachers, administrators, representatives from collective bargaining unions and associations, Vision 2015 members, leading corporate and business investors, parent/family advocates and members of higher education, philanthropy, the Governor’s Office, General Assembly and State Board of Education -- which resulted in Delaware being selected in March 2010 as the “First State” awarded the federal Race to the Top grant to put aggressive systemic education reform in practice.

Thanks to her extensive teaching and local administrative experience, she is sensitive to the challenges that Delaware's districts and charter schools face and thus spends a significant amount of her time working directly with local leadership to effectively implement state and federal initiatives. She values most the opportunities she gets to visit with educators and students in Delaware schools. She also works closely with the state's elected leaders, business community and nonprofits to collaborate.

Prior to her appointment, Lowery served as superintendent of Delaware's largest school district, Christina. She was responsible for enhancing the educational programs of students, improving student achievement and administering district policies for the K-12 district that included 2,200 employees and about 17,000 students.  After she was hired, Lowery identified  -- through her request for comprehensive audit -- and closed a $17.5 million year-over-year fiscal deficit and led the district back to solvency.

Before coming to Delaware, she worked as assistant superintendent of Cluster VII for Fairfax County Public Schools in Fairfax, Virginia. She also served as an Area Administrator for Fort Wayne Community Schools in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She has experience as a school building administrator and middle and high school English teacher in school districts in Virginia and North Carolina.

Lowery holds a doctorate of education degree in Education and Policy Studies from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (“Virginia Tech”), a master of education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education from North Carolina Central University.  She was a Fellow in the Broad Foundation’s Urban Superintendents Academy in 2004. 

She is a member of the ETS Teacher Licensure and Certification Delaware Advisory Board, Workforce Investment Board, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce Partnership, the Southern Regional Education Board, Vision 2015 Steering and Implementation Committees, the Delaware Nature Society and the Delaware Boys and Girls Club Corporate Board. 

Phone: (302) 735-4000
Fax: (302) 739-4654
Email: llowery@doe.k12.de.us

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