Lillian M. Lowery, Ed.D.
Maryland State Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Lillian M. Lowery became Maryland State Superintendent of Schools and Secretary-Treasurer of the State Board on July 1, 2012. She moved to Maryland from Delaware, where she served as Secretary of Education since January 2009. As the State Chief, she facilitated a broad-based statewide strategic planning and grant application process, resulting in Delaware being selected one of the first states to be awarded a coveted federal Race to the Top grant. She led efforts to establish Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Units as well as Turnaround Units within the Department, which have assisted in the implementation of the grant and the improvement of instructional opportunities for students.
Dr. Lowery has worked in various education institutions and programs since 1976. Prior to becoming Secretary of Education, she served for three years as the Superintendent of the Christina School District in New Castle County, DE. She has served as an Assistant Superintendent in Fairfax County, VA, and an Area Superintendent in Fort Wayne, IN. She held other administrative positions, and began her career as an English teacher at the middle and high school levels in Virginia.
A graduate in English and Secondary Education at North Carolina Central University, Dr. Lowery received her Master's of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of North Carolina, and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Polytechnic and State University.