Introducing Matthew Korobkin, Senior Program Officer

Greetings!   My name is Matthew Korobkin and I have recently joined the Rodel Foundation as a Program Officer.  I am excited to work on behalf of Delaware’s most important citizens—its children—and its greatest asset—public education.  Now is an extraordinary time to be in Delaware.  With support from Vision 2015, Race to the Top (RTTT), and the RTTT Early Learning Challenge, Delaware is well-positioned to be a leader in education reform and a model of success for the nation.  The capacity for educational excellence in Delaware is palpable, which is why I am so attracted to this state and an organization that is a leader in education reform.

Prior to joining Rodel, I was an Education Policy Specialist at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Special Education Planning and Policy.  In that role, I was responsible for reporting on the early childhood outcomes for children with special needs, conducting technical assistance trainings to districts on federal compliance, and serving on the charter school review panel.  I also served as the liaison to the state’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council.  Preceding my work at the Department, I was a technology teacher for students with special needs, an assistive technology evaluator, and a school administrator.

My passion for education was incited from my experience teaching students with disabilities.  To this day, I am driven by the profound need to provide all students access to high quality public education.  Having worked with students, parents, and administrators in several realms, including team meetings to develop student Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), I am especially sensitive to the importance of engaging parents, differentiating instruction, and modifying curriculum so that students with learning differences can be successful.  All students, no matter where they live or how they learn, must have access to a world-class education.

In addition to my work experience, I hold a Master of Science degree in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

I am excited to be in Delaware and eager to work on Rodel’s important educational initiatives that ensure that Delaware has one of the finest school systems in the nation.