At its May 5, 2021 PA State Board of Education (Board) Meeting, the Board took the opportunity to bid a fond farewell to Matthew Stem and to recognize for his work over the past six years as Pennsylvania’s deputy secretary for elementary and secondary education. State Board of Ed. Chairperson Karen Farmer White stated that the Board was accepting Mr. Stem’s resignation with a “heavy heart.” Other Board members took the time to thank Mr. Stem for his “fine work” and to express their regrets regarding his leaving.

Currently the second in command at the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Mr. Stem will become the assistant executive director with the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 effective June 14, 2021. Among his accomplishments while with PDE, Mr. Stem was instrumental in the development of the Future Ready PA Index and the Every Student Succeeds Act Consolidated Plan.

Also, as a part of his report, Acting PA Education Secretary Noe Ortega asked Mr. Stem to update the Board on the Accelerated Learning Roadmap Series. Mr. Stem pointed out that, as we plan for the 2021-22 school year, PDE, PA Intermediate Units (IUs), and the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) are providing the Accelerated Learning Roadmap Series resource bank for school leaders with the goal of helping teachers, support staff, families, and students emerge from these unprecedented times and start a new school year stronger than ever and focused on accelerating learning. Mr. Stem also reported that there are currently 30 webinars available to PA educators.

In addition, according to the PDE website this new series provides a systematic process and technical support for school communities to make key decisions for the start of the new year. It introduces a Cycle of Continuous Improvement mindset that will lead to strategic vision, needs assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, and adjusting. Most importantly, each system supports the success of the others.

To learn more about the Accelerated Learning Roadmap Series, click here.