On Oct. 20, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced that he was appointing Angelica Allen-McMillan as the New Jersey commissioner of education. She will replace outgoing interim Commissioner Kevin Dehmer, who had served since the resignation of Lamont Repollet on July 1. Allen-McMillan will serve in an acting capacity until her confirmation by the New Jersey State Senate.
In a press release, Murphy said, “A product of New Jersey’s public schools, Angelica has worked at all levels of education and knows exactly what our teachers and students need to succeed. She is an exemplary educator and I’m confident she is the leader we need to carry our school communities through the remainder of this pandemic and beyond.”
Allen-McMillan previously served as interim Executive County Superintendent for Morris County. She has also worked as Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education for the Newark Public Schools system, and as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instructions in the Irvington School District.
The New Jersey commissioner of education is the chief executive school officer of New Jersey, overseeing all public schools in the state. The commissioner’s responsibilities include recommending legislative changes, producing research on education, and serving as secretary to the State Board of Education, among other duties. The commissioner is appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the state senate and serves at the pleasure of the governor.
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