Lawrence Public Schools
Lawrence School Committee & Superintendent
The Superintendent
Ralph Carrero
Ralph Carrero grew up in Lawrence after his family brought him here from the Dominican Republic as a boy, and in 1992 he became the first Hispanic resident ever elected to public office in the city, serving a decade on the very School Committee he now answers to. He spent 18 years at Greater Lawrence Technical High School, then helped found and lead the Lawrence Family Development Charter School, a dual-language program for kindergarten through grade 8. In 2024 he took over the whole district. Under the current receivership he runs the schools day to day and reports to the state-appointed receiver.
| Role | Superintendent, Lawrence Public Schools (since 2024) |
|---|---|
| Central Office | 237 Essex Street, Lawrence, MA 01840 |
| Phone | (978) 975-5900 |
| Website | lawrence.k12.ma.us |
State Receivership: How Lawrence’s Schools Are Governed
Here is something true of almost no other school district in America: for more than a decade, the people of Lawrence have not fully controlled their own schools. After years of chronic underperformance, the state took the district into receivership in 2011 and has run it on the Commonwealth’s behalf ever since. The slow walk back to local control is one of the most important civic stories in the city.
- The Receiver: Effective January 2026, the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education appointed Dr. Lauren Woo, a DESE deputy commissioner, as the individual receiver of Lawrence Public Schools, replacing the previous nonprofit receivership board.
- The Superintendent: Ralph Carrero continues to run the district day to day and reports to the receiver.
- Toward local control: the receiver is guiding a multi-phase plan to build the elected School Committee’s capacity for an eventual return to local control.
The School Committee
Lawrence has an elected School Committee again, chaired by the mayor and seated in January 2026, and the receiver is deliberately building its capacity to take the schools back. Some members you elected and some the City Council appointed. You can reach any of them through the School Department Central Office at 237 Essex Street, (978) 975-5900.
Brian A. De Peña
Jonathan Guzman
Quin Gonell
Jessica Marie Ramirez
Donna Bertolino
Michael Armano
Jesus Suriel
The District at a Glance
- Enrollment: about 12,955 students (2025-26).
- Schools: 26 schools, from early childhood centers through Lawrence High School.
- Lawrence High School: one of the largest high schools in Massachusetts, with roughly 3,280 students.
- Student body: about 95% Hispanic/Latino, with a high share of English learners.
- DESE district code: 01490000.
- State profile: Lawrence on DESE School & District Profiles.
Sources
Lawrence government website (cityoflawrence.com). Verified July 2026.
Office of the Mayor (cityoflawrence.com), for the Mayor’s Office email address. Verified September 2026.
What this seat decides
Your schools
School Committee. Start times, the school calendar, bus routes and stops, the phone policy, athletics and activity fees, and the policies in the student handbook. It sets district policy, and the total size of the school budget is voted by the City Council.
Your principal and your superintendent. The principal for how a school rule works day to day in your building. The superintendent for how the whole district runs. The School Committee selects the superintendent, and the superintendent appoints the principals, so a question about any other staff member goes to the district, not to the board.
Want to turn how your schools are run into a real civics project? Start with the project guide.