Deputy Superintendent Frieda Lacey to Retire in June after 41 Years

December 9, 2011

Career at MCPS has Focused on Equity and Excellence for All

Deputy Superintendent of Schools Frieda K. Lacey has announced her plans to retire at the end of the current school year. Dr. Lacey has worked for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) for 41 years and has served as Deputy Superintendent for the past eight years.

“Over more than 40 years at MCPS, Dr. Lacey has been a tireless advocate for students and her work has had a tremendous positive impact on the lives of our children, our families and our community,” said Board of Education President Shirley Brandman. “We are extremely grateful for her service to the students, staff and community of Montgomery County.”

Superintendent of Schools Joshua P. Starr thanked Dr. Lacey for her service and support.

“Frieda Lacey is a cornerstone of Montgomery County Public Schools and the impact of her work will continue for generations to come,” Dr. Starr said. “On a personal note, I am very grateful to Frieda for her advice, her wisdom and her honesty during my first months as superintendent. I look forward to continuing our work together this school year and I know she will continue to be a champion for the students and staff of Montgomery County.”

Dr. Lacey came to MCPS in 1971 as a special education teacher and, over the years, served in a variety of roles, including placement specialist, supervisor of Special Education Instruction and principal of the former McKenney Hills Learning Center. Over four decades, her career has been dedicated to providing all students access to an outstanding education and has made it a lifelong goal to narrow the achievement gap.

She served as MCPS’ Equity Assurance Officer, where she provided systemwide monitoring of school trends on the placement of minority students in special education and her outstanding work led to her appointment as the Director of the Division of Equity Assurance and Compliance. It was in this role that she revamped special education dispute resolution by introducing the use of mediation and alternative dispute resolution, thereby expanding the use of relationship-oriented solutions for families. In recognition of the innovative work she brought to MCPS’ special education department, Dr. Lacey was recruited to be an “on-loan executive” from MCPS to assist the Superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools in reforming the district’s approach to special education.

In 1999, Dr. Lacey returned to MCPS and was appointed the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools and later became Chief of Staff. In 2004, Dr. Lacey was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Schools, where she supervises the academic initiatives of MCPS.

Dr. Lacey said her decision to retire is bittersweet—while she is ready to relax and spend more time with her family, she will miss the work at MCPS.

“I cannot think of a more rewarding way to spend the past 40 years than working for Montgomery County Public Schools, a school system that is a national leader in confronting the issues of equity and excellence for all students. We have much work left to be done, but MCPS has made tremendous progress and I know our staff and community are dedicated to continuous improvement,” Dr. Lacey said. “While my official work for MCPS will end in June, I will continue to be a fierce advocate for all students, especially those whose voices are not always heard.”

She thanked all of the colleagues she has worked with over the past four decades.

“Over my career, I have had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people who have a passion for brightening the future of all students,” Dr. Lacey said. “I am grateful for the opportunities I have had and I will always be a supporter of MCPS, its employees and, most of all, its students.”

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