Torres earned a master's degree in education as well as a doctorate in education policy, planning and administration from the University of Maryland at College Park.[5]
Torres would be made a regional superintendent for Chicago Public Schools, putting him in charge of 25 schools on the city's South Side.[5][6] He held this role from 2006 through 2008.[6]
In 2005, Torres was a fellow with the Eli Broad Urban Superintendents Academy.[7]
He was credited with implementing a dual language in the school district, in which roughly one-third of students were English language learners (unable to effectively be taught in English, or communicate fluently in English).[7] During his tenure, Torres was also credited with roughly quadrupling the number of people of color holding appointed principal positions.[7] Many of those he appointed were bilingual.[7]
Torres received mixed reception from the community for his decision to implement a grading system that made it so that students could not receive zero-percent grades for work.[7]
President of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Torres spent more than six years as president of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, retiring at the end of the 2021 school year.[5] He held this role from 2014 through April 2021.[6] During his tenure, the school had to endure losing access to a large portion of its funding during Illinois Budget Impasse, while the school was in the process of expanding.[5]
Torres had made it clear upon his appointment that reopening the schools for in-person instruction was a top priority of his. Some parents and educators expressed concern with how close to the planned reopening of schools he waited before unveiling Chicago Public Schools' planned COVID-19 safety protocols, however, Torres stated that they had held off on releasing their plans so as to not move "too far ahead" of their negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union regarding safety precautions.[11] In late August, Torres expressed his belief that Chicago Public Schools was "very close" to having an agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union on this matter.[11]
Torres expressed that he was dedicated to improving what he regarded to be a "broken" relationship between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union.[11]
On September 15, 2021, Mayor Lightfoot announced that Pedro Martinez would be succeeding Torres, being appointed the permanent CEO.[12] Martinez took office September 29, ending Torres's tenure as acting superintendent.[13]
Personal life and death
Torres' wife, Isabel Torres, is a teacher and instructional coach.[7]
Torres died on May 2, 2025, at the age of 65. He was survived by his wife and three children.[14]
