Brenton Stewart is the Coordinator of School Redesign and Impact at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department). In his role within the Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign, he is the resident expert on all things related to school enrollment, especially for charter and virtual schools. He also manages processes related to the Department’s Innovation Schools initiative, charter school expansion requests, waitlist collections, pre-enrollment and sibling pre-enrollment reports, enrollment policies, and charter school performance analyses pertaining to Proven Provider requirements. Brenton oversaw the development of the Charter School Data Dashboard, a tool used to support charter school performance and comparison data reviews. He also serves on the Department’s DEI committee, focusing primarily on data analysis and professional development supports for Department staff.

Prior to working at the Department, Brenton was hired by Cambridge Public Schools to conduct a comprehensive review of the District’s Controlled Choice student assignment system. His analysis led to policy reform recommendations, many of which were adopted by the Cambridge Public School Committee in June 2013—the first major reform to the District’s Controlled Choice Plan since 2001. Brenton has also held various teaching fellowships over the course of his graduate studies, ran an afternoon program serving Boston middle schoolers, and worked in guidance at a local Boston Public School serving at-risk middle school youths.

Brenton holds a B.S. in Bio-Evolutionary Psychology and a B.S. in Sociology from Pennsylvania State University, an M.A. in Developmental Psychology from San Diego State University, and is ABD in Education Leadership and Policy Studies at Boston University.

Education and community development are deep rooted passions for Brenton and his family. He hails from a long line of teachers and is married to a preschool teacher. Brenton and his wife have three middle school-aged children, enrolled in the local public school system. Brenton is the president of and a coach for a local youth hockey association; you will find him and his three children at the rink every day of the week.