The Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro R. Pierluisi, announced this Saturday the appointment of Dr. Ángel Toledo López as the new Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Education (DEPR), who since October of last year served as Undersecretary for Academic Affairs of the agency .
During that time, Toledo López, who has nearly 30 years of work experience in the private and public education sector, led a team of five undersecretaries, as well as school principals and teachers from the public education system. Likewise, Dr. Toledo channeled and maximized the use of federal and state funds in the teaching and learning process, directed the administrative transformation process in schools, and contributed to the creation of innovative academic programs focused on promoting the development of technological and administrative skills. Likewise, Dr. Toledo López was key in the implementation of the DE Leer Project, an initiative that aims to reinforce reading among children and young people in the public education system.
“Dr. Toledo López has vast experience in academic and administrative matters and I know that this knowledge will be of great benefit to continue directing all the projects that we are working on in the Department of Education and achieve a successful start to classes. Our goal is to ensure that each student and teacher has the resources they need to start the semester. Likewise, I know that Dr. Toledo López will keep communication channels open with the entire school community, including employees and teacher groups, and will continue working to speed up the renovation of the infrastructure in which we are immersed. The education of all of our children and youth is one of the highest priorities in my administration, and we want to prepare them for the future and make sure they have the education they deserve. I thank Dr. Toledo López for his commitment and his availability to take the reins of this important Department,” said Governor Pierluisi, who announced several months ago that the pilot program will be implemented in August P-Cardwhich is a debit card with which the directors of each school can make their school purchases.
His departure is immediate.
Prior to working at the DEPR, Toledo López worked for more than 20 years at the Ana G. Méndez University System (SUAGM). During that time, and at various campuses, she served as a member of the Social Sciences faculty and taught courses in Statistics, Public Administration, and Criminal Justice. During his last 15 years at this institution, he worked as an academic administrator and became vice-rector of two campuses and rector of one of them, from where he promoted administrative restructuring and process reengineering that allowed the achievement of the academic goals set. He worked extensively with the administration of federal, state and private funds, and, under his responsibility, accreditations of the university institution were updated and new academic programs including doctoral programs were developed, among other initiatives.
On the other hand, for several years Toledo López stood out as a private lawyer focused on family practice and litigated civil, criminal and administrative cases. In addition, he was part of the Legal Assistance Clinic of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), an entity in which he was also a professor and research coordinator. Added to this are the more than 15 conferences he has given and multiple publications authored by him and others in which he has collaborated.
Toledo López has an MA and Ph.D. in American Politics, Comparative Politics, and Research Methodology from Penn State University. Dr. Toledo López also has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico and graduated in law after completing a Juris Doctor from the same university. Similarly, he earned a Master of Education from the American College of Education with a focus on bilingual education and teaching English as a second language, and completed a certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell University.
