Deputy Education Commissioner Russell Johnston, a long-serving state official specializing in special education, was unanimously selected Tuesday to temporarily take the helm of the state’s K-12 education department when Commissioner Jeffrey Riley steps down in March.

“The Board needs to vote to recommend an Acting Commissioner to the Secretary of Education for appointment,” wrote Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) Chair Katherine Craven in a memo ahead of a Tuesday morning meeting. “We are fortunate that Deputy Commissioner Russell Johnston is willing and able to serve in this role during the transition period.”

Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley announced his resignation in a letter on Feb. 15, recommending Johnston to take over the position. Riley has served in the position for six years and will officially step down on March 15.

Commissioner candidates may be selected by a two-thirds majority BESE vote and approved by the Secretary of Education. The Board unanimously voted for Johnston, and Secretary Patrick Tutwiler quickly approved the pick at the Tuesday meeting.

Johnston will start at an annual salary rate of $246,636.

Johnston started his career as a special education teacher, working in Newton for five years. He then headed the special education department for Wellesley Public Schools and served as the district’s superintendent from 2010 to 2014. At the state level, Johnston “oversees special education, instructional support, and a variety of initiatives to identify interventions and monitor
improvement” as the deputy commissioner, according to a DESE bio.

Riley called Johnston a “man of great integrity” during his recommendation Tuesday.

The Board will discuss candidates to take over the commissioner position permanently at their next meeting on March 26.

Riley cited his personal commitments as “son to aging parents” and his inability to dedicate time to new initiatives like Literacy Launch “on an all-in basis for at least another five years” in his resignation letter.

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Throughout Riley’s final BESE meeting as commissioner, the Board and numerous speakers congratulated and praised the commissioner. Despite the turbulent history between DESE and the union through Riley’s tenure, Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page said ahead of his public testimony, he was “never in doubt of your deep, lifelong commitment to our public schools.”

“Jeffrey Riley, in recognition and gratitude for your lifetime contribution to the students and educators of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including your dedicated, tireless, unwavering commitment to the educational community as the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education from 2018 to 2024 — thank you,” said Craven, setting off laughter as she noted Riley was cringing next to her.