Pa. Education Secretary Will Step Down in October to Lead Lancaster Technical College

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s top education official will leave his post this fall to lead a technical college, just weeks into what promises to be an extraordinarily challenging school year for districts statewide as they grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.

(PICTURED: Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera (seen here at the Community College of Philadelphia in November 2019) has been in the position since 2015. Photo credit MICHAEL BRYANT/Philadelphia Inquirer)

Education Secretary Pedro Rivera will serve as the next president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster, the school announced Tuesday. He will start Oct. 1.

“As we all prepare for the upcoming school year during unprecedented times, I am reminded every day of the exceptional leadership we have in the education community, that even under challenging conditions, these leaders and educators continue to serve students and communities equitably and with understanding,” Rivera said in a statement.

“While leaving this position was a difficult decision, I am comforted that my new role allows me to continue to serve Pennsylvania students and continue to advocate for equity, access, and opportunity for all.”

Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement he plans to nominate Deputy Secretary of Postsecondary and Higher Education Noe Ortega to replace Rivera.

“His leadership has been critical during the commonwealth’s response to COVID-19,” Wolf said of Rivera, “and the relationships he cultivated with education stakeholders during his tenure have strengthened the ties between state and local partners and allowed local schools to inform state education policy.”

This story will be updated.

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