Jeffrey Riley, the state-appointed superintendent and receiver of Lawrence schools, is poised to become Massachusetts’ next education commissioner after receiving an endorsement Monday from the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The board’s 8-3 vote followed 1½ hours of deliberations during which several members repeatedly lauded Riley’s success in boosting student achievement in the former mill city and his ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of stakeholders, including the city’s teachers union and charter schools.