Commissioner's Office

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides leadership, oversight, funding, support, and accountability for the Commonwealth's approximately 400 school districts that educate close to 1 million public school children each year. We also oversees programs that serve 20,000 adult learners each year.

The Department's work is divided into nine areas: administration and finance, deeper learning, district support, educational options, instructional support, legal, planning and research, strategic initiatives, and student assessment. Our work is guided by five strategic priorities and the commissioner's Our Way Forward plan.