About the National High School Center
Friends of the National High School Center
Maria Santos
Maria Santos is the Senior Instructional Manager and Superintendent for the New York City Department of Education's Office of English Language Learners (ELLs). A highly experienced education professional and practitioner, Ms. Santos is resolutely dedicated to the achievement and growth of all children, as demonstrated by numerous national and statewide contributions to education, and a history of leadership in a broad range of successful school improvements in the New York City and San Francisco communities. As Senior Instructional Manager and Superintendent for the Office of English Language Learners (ELLs) at the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), she has led the Office in ensuring that Children First reforms are raising the academic rigor of ELLs through quality teaching and learning citywide. Early in these reforms, she led the restructuring of New York City’s Early Childhood, ELL, and Instructional Technology departments, managing more than $200 million in programs. For each department, she designed core policy and practice recommendations, and organizational support structures at both the central and regional level, while also managing staff and leadership recruitment.
Ms. Santos has designed and developed strategic initiatives and resources for several nonprofit organizations that provide state and national support, setting trends in the educational agenda nationwide. As an Education Program Officer at Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds, Ms. Santos designed the Leadership for Education Achievement in District (LEAD) project—a program that engaged twelve urban districts in twelve states in developing educational leadership to improve student learning.
Before coming to New York City, Ms. Santos spent 20 years in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). As Associate Superintendent, she supervised the development of major instructional improvement initiatives such as the SFUSD’s Professional Development Initiative, Local Improvement Plans and the School Site Plans, the school district's Accountability Plan, Standards Development and Implementation, the Comprehensive School Improvement Process, and the Urban Systemic Program for Mathematics, Science and Technology. She gained SFUSD the recognition of an Exemplary Site by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Award for Professional Development. Ms. Santos graduated cum laude from the University of Puerto Rico with a Bachelor of Science in 1976. In California, she gained her California Secondary Single Subject Credential in 1984, her California Educational Administration Credential in 1989, and a Masters in Educational Administration from San Francisco State University in 1990.
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