Lawrence Alliance for Education votes to terminate DESE partnership, dissolve as receiver; DESE names Dr. Lauren Wu as receiver

The Lawrence Alliance for Education voted Nov. 18 to end its memorandum of understanding with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and to voluntarily dissolve the nonprofit that has served as the district’s receiver, the board announced at a meeting in Lawrence.

Public comment opened the meeting, when Umoyun Mali of 53 Chester Street urged community support for the Lawrence Teachers Union and called for higher pay to retain the district’s teachers: "We must pay the best compensation to our teachers so the other cities cannot take our teachers away," Mali said.

Chair Patricia Mariano then introduced Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Deputy Commissioner Dr. Lauren Wu, who said she will assume the role of receiver for the Lawrence Public Schools as of tomorrow. "I am excited to take on the role of receiver and to work on behalf of the students and families in Lawrence, and to support a thoughtful and phased in transition to local control," Dr. Wu said. She outlined priorities including a capacity-building plan and training for the newly configured school committee and said she will supervise Superintendent Ralph Carrero on continued implementation of the district’s turnaround and strategic plans while not changing his day-to-day responsibilities.

The board voted first to terminate, by mutual agreement, the memorandum of understanding that had established the LAE as receiver. An unidentified member moved and a second was recorded; clerk roll-call responses from Juana Matias, Maria Mueller, Mayor Brian De Pena and Chair Patricia Mariano were recorded as "Yes," and the chair announced the motion carries.

The board then voted to voluntarily dissolve the Lawrence Alliance for Education and to prepare and file a dissolution petition and related documents with the Attorney General and other state agencies. The motion authorized the chair or the organization's attorney to approve terms of the filing. That motion also passed on a roll-call vote recorded as unanimous among those responding.

A final vote authorized the chair of the LAE and the organization's attorney (named in the motion as John M. Stefan) to execute and deliver any documents required to complete the dissolution and make filings with the office of the attorney general, the Internal Revenue Service and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. The clerk recorded the same four "Yes" votes and the chair declared the motion carries.

After votes, board members offered thanks to Chair Mariano and to the LAE for their years of service. The board adjourned following the roll call.

Next steps noted by the board include preparing the dissolution petition and filings with the Attorney General’s office and other regulatory agencies; DESE’s Dr. Wu will begin work as receiver according to the timeline she presented.