Seacoast Online – Tracy has made mark across state in education
New Hampshire Education Commissioner Lyonel Tracy has decided to leave his post when his term expires in March. In the past decade, he also served as superintendent of the Portsmouth School District. The result has been a positive effect on the education of students on the Seacoast and in the state.
He created and implemented the “Follow the Child” initiative, wherein each child in the state would receive individual attention to assess progress — personally, socially, physically and academically. He has been asked to present this philosophy to groups around the country.
Tracy has been a driving force behind “New Hampshire’s Vision for Redesign: Moving from High Schools to Learning Communities,” which is intended to create personalization and relationships, high standards and relevance and engagement.
He has advocated for early childhood education from birth. This was outlined at his recent presentation at the Community Child Care annual meeting.
He has been a supporter of healthy choices for children that resulted in a 2008 “Kids Count” report rating New Hampshire No. 1 in the country for raising healthy children.
He has improved the quality of data coming from the Department of Education. This gives local communities and their school boards the information needed to improve schools.
He, along with Gov. John Lynch, were vigorous supporters of the legislation intended to reduce the dropout rate. This was important to provide education for those who initially may have dropped out of school at an early age, therefore not being able to achieve an education, which is needed to make them self-sufficient members of their community.
Tracy has a national reputation as an educational pioneer and, as a result, at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., in October, New Hampshire was announced as one of only three states chosen to participate in “Tough Choices for Tough Times” reforms, which could dramatically overhaul education in the 21st century.
The education commissioner worked to maintain and foster relationships with stakeholders in the educational community.
John Lyons Jr., chairman of the state Board of Education who served on the Portsmouth School Board when Tracy was superintendent in Portsmouth, applauds him as an individual who is truly child-centered when it comes to education. The student always comes first in Tracy’s mind, said Lyons.
As Tracy leaves his post in March and proceeds to the next chapter of his life, it is hoped he will continue to be a member of the team that looks out for the student first.
We hope that Lynch, as he ponders his selection for the next commissioner of education, will choose a person who will continue to carry out the goals he and Tracy started.
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We strongly disagree with that last sentence. Please read our other entries under Tracy to read the real story of how the unconstitutional imposition of laws and programs, many advocated by Lyonel Tracy, contributes to the destruction of local control and parental rights. Tracy is truly the king of snake-oil and fads in education. Nothing like lining the pockets of the ‘reformers’ while claiming that you did something ‘for the children’. Some of us taxpayers, who are also ‘stakeholders’ do not approve of nationalizing the educational system or turning children over to the state at birth, things that sound more appropriate for something Hitler would have advocated.