01-05-2025
Holyoke's Devin Sheehan will lead National School Boards Association
HOLYOKE — Devin M. Sheehan, an advocate for public education and a long-serving member of the Holyoke School Committee, will lead the National School Boards Association next year.
The association lobbies on behalf of students in public schools nationwide, working to make sure they get a fair and high-quality education.
Having attended public schools and advocated for students, Sheehan said he knows the transformative power of public education.
'In this role, I remain deeply committed to advancing and protecting our nation's public schools — standing up for equitable resources, supporting our educators, and ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed,' he said. 'Together, we will continue to be strong voices for the future of public education."
His one-year term as the association's president will run for the 2025-26 school year. The association represents school board members across the United States and the Virgin Islands, according to a statement issued Monday by Holyoke Public Schools.
Sheehan, who works for state Sen. Jake Oliveira, D-Ludlow, holds a bachelor's degree from Franklin Pierce University and a master's in public policy from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Sheehan served on the Holyoke School Committee from 2010 to 2022 and was appointed as an at-large representative in June 2024.
Over the years, Sheehan took on leadership responsibilities within the Massachusetts Association of School Committees leading to his role as president in 2019. That year, he ran for a position on the board of the National School Boards Association.
He takes the president's post in the association at a time of significant upheaval in the federal government.
'To be here now is a challenge, but I have been fighting for so many years I am ready for the challenge to keep federal legislators on their toes to get the resources that students need,' he said.
Sheehan will be involved in advocacy and outreach at the federal level, while also helping to train school board members.
Sheehan said the board is focusing on ensuring that all students have broadband access through E-rate and on reauthorizing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
He takes the post at a time when the Trump administration is seeking to dismantle the Department of Education. Sheehan said he sees his role as addressing national issues and working with federal legislators.
'Policy changes can occur rapidly,' he said, 'making it crucial to watch and advocate for federal funding.'
Sheehan said the board focuses on advocating, securing and monitoring federal funds for supplemental programs provided through the Department of Education, such as universal free school lunch, student protections and educator training.
'Dismantling the federal Department of Education requires congressional action,' he said. '[A] party cannot simply close the department because the federal government provides for students with disabilities and safeguards are needed to ensure every student receives a quality education.'
Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia notes Sheehan's advocacy and roots in the community.
'As schools across the country navigate significant federal changes and evolving challenges, we need steady, experienced leadership more than ever,' Garcia said. 'His proven commitment to students make him the leader we need right now. We're proud to see him representing our community on the national stage.'
Sheehan concedes that the association lost credibility in 2021 when it wrote to the Biden administration asking that the Justice Department use the Patriot Act to investigate parents who harassed school board members.
Incidents from 2021 are mostly behind the group now, he said.
Sheehan brings a deep commitment to public education, a vision for student success and a history of service, the association's executive director and CEO, Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, said in a statement.
Holyoke Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Soto praised Sheehan's commitment to equity and inclusivity.
Mildred Lefebvre, an at-large representative of the Holyoke School Committee, is also on the association's board.
Sheehan said having two Holyoke committee members on the board is rare.
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