Char-Shenda Covington

                   Char-Shenda D. Covington, PhD, EdD
                                 EDUCATION LEADER & CONSULTANT
        Educational Leadership | Program Management | Student Development | Instructional Design
Result-oriented and collaborative executive with 15+ years of experience in student development and engagement.
Enhance public, private, and charter schools, academic programs, and initiatives to promote student growth and
achievement. Monitor and analyze individual, pilot, and program success through key performance metrics to ensure best
practices in student development, with a lens toward coaching, goal setting, and reflection. Establish team vision, buy-in,
and tone, building capacity for quality education and equitable services across the nation.
                                                   Areas of Expertise
 Leadership & Professional Development - Skillful communicator, designed             Evidence-Based Practices
 program and built national teams for Delta Teacher Efficacy Campaign for                  Student Affairs
 Professional Development in 42 states on equity and advocacy.                      Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
 Community Collaboration & Outreach- Involved within the community                     Program Management
 with a pulse on the needs for education reform and equity standards. Former          Community Engagement
 Program Coordinator and Youth Retention Specialist for Fulton County                  Professional Learning
 Juvenile Justice Center.                                                                   Communities
 Student Success- Improved instruction with needs-based assessments and            Human Resource Management
 teacher advocacy, encouraging an open-door approach. Created intentional,        Data-Driven Instructional Models
 wrap-around services focusing on enhancing institutional culture and                Cross-Team Collaboration
 academic achievement.                                                               Curriculum Development

                                               Professional Experience
DeKalb County School District - Stone Mountain, GA                                                 07/2018 – Present
Principal, Stone Mountain Elementary School
Spearhead the creation and implementation of engaging lesson plans and individualized learning plans for Pre-K-5 grade
students, per state standards. Actively encourage student learning and development, course planning, course design, and
development; translate ESSA metrics to guide student achievement in urban settings. Improved School Climate rating,
coupled with increased parental involvement. Implement educational best practices through tiered professional
development and ongoing support impacting teachers and educational leaders.
Key Accomplishments:
    • Retained 94% of staff hired for the 2020-2021 school year, after revamping the team with 70% new staff for the
       2019-2020 school year.
    • Captured double-digit gains in Science and Social Studies and 8.9% increase in English/Language Arts for the
       2018-2019 school year.
    • Positioned Operations to receive and administer multiple grants including LEVEL UP – Leading Everyday with
       Vision, Excitement, & Love Uniting Purpose, School Crashers Carpet Grant, GADOE Digital Learning Grant, and
       Literacy Grant for Pre-Kindergarten.
    • 13 promotions in 15 calendar months. (2021-2022)
    • Led Community Team for Scholars to rebuild and redesign local community park.

Fulton Leadership Academy - East Point, GA                                                          7/2017 - 7/2018
Chief Academic Officer
Principal and School Improvement Specialist executing state charter school programs and curriculum schedules to
combination of 500 students, while overseeing discipline and performance metrics. Developed targeted action plans to
foster an atmosphere of empowerment and accountability; created Curriculum Guides including scopes and sequences
focusing on data and outcomes for students. Met School Improvement Plan goals and supported middle / high school
students with the College and Career Ready Standards.
Key Accomplishments:
    • Secured 5-year renewal for Charter Petition and Expansion to Neighboring District Grant in 2018.
    • Achieved 100% graduation rate as well as 37% decrease in disciplinary infractions.
    • Garnered new partnerships with a local HBCU, Morehouse College, and expanded student awareness of Greek
        organizations, financial aid opportunities, including other student involvement activities.
                                                        …continued…
Char-Shenda D. Covington, PhD EdD                                                                            Page 2 of 2

Ivy Preparatory Academy - Atlanta, GA                                                                7/2016 - 7/2017
Director Of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
Successfully generated and delivered intervention for Charter School Network to enhance teaching and learning.
Supported personalized professional development, learning concepts, materials, and skills introduced by the teacher, on
a one-to-one basis. Analyzed student performance data to determine critical areas for development in classroom
instruction and support; integrated new tools to monitor and evaluate research-based instructional practices to boost
student performance. Increased student achievement in every content area over previous year, based on state targets.
Key Accomplishments:
     • Improved CCRPI results by 41.2 points for the elementary school and 11.8 points for the middle school.
     • Introduced customized coaching cycle addressing the individual needs of teachers and school leaders.

Additional Experience: Subject Matter Expert, Learning Mate (2022); Chief Learning Officer, Leadership Preparatory
Academy (2015); K-12 Social Studies Coordinator, Atlanta Public Schools (2015); Assistant Principal, Cross Keys High
School (2014-2015); American Government/Constitutional Law, Instructor, Langston Hughes High School (2009–2011);
Department Chair & District Social Studies Contact, Camp Creek Middle School (2006-2009)
                                              Key Projects & Consulting
Delta Teacher Efficacy Campaign and Teachers Advocating to lead Great change (DTEC-TAG)                      2014-2021
National Director
Trusted as state lead, coordinating team of 8-10 educators to develop a professional training program as a joint
commitment from the Delta Research and Education Foundation (DREF) and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Align school
operations and functions with the philosophy, mission, and goals of the district and key stakeholders. Partner with Equity
Warriors, increase awareness of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and execute local TAG Advocacy Project.

Southern Regional Education Board                                                                     2011 – 2014, 2016
National School Improvement (Leadership & Literacy) Consultant
Guide the planning and execution of Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) processes to provide comprehensive support to
teachers, principals, and district-level leadership. Implement College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) to improve
the overall effectiveness of learning programs. Educate personnel on the use of instructional strategies and materials to
promote child development and accurately measure academic performance.
Key Accomplishments:
    • Created a master schedule for instructional programs to better utilize sequential learning experiences; boosted
        student achievement on standardized assessments by an average of 27% to 58% in 14 states.
    • Devised district Response-to-Intervention protocols with an emphasis on tiered models of progressive
        interventions associated with academics and behavior across the nation.
    • Drove transition of large high schools into career-themed ecosystems, leveraging small learning communities.
    • Partnered to hire and train 60% of staff with a focus on mentoring and engagement to boost retention rates.
                               Selected Publications & Professional Presentations
Shanell Lee Ed.S., Dr. Daphne Coleman, Dr. Char-Shenda Covington, Cynthia Logan M.Ed., Mysha McClain M.Ed., Dr.
Elondra D. Napper: A Practical Approach to Teaching Foundational Reading Skills in the Classroom and at Home: Strategies
for Teachers and Parents (2020)
National Presentations: Congressional Black Caucus: Literacy and Language Acquisition Teacher Efficacy, South Carolina
(2021), Empowering Community Voices, and Success for All Learners through University & Civic Engagement, California
(2020), Partnerships Power of the Hashtag: Our Call to Social Justice Action, Washington D.C. (2020)
                                               Education & Credentials
     Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Organizational Leadership for School Improvement, Northcentral University
           Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Educational Leadership & Administration, Capella University
                Master of Education (M.Ed.), Curriculum & Instruction, Central Michigan University
                 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Minor in Secondary Education, Spelman College
                      Urban Superintendents' Academy, University of Southern California, 2022
 Georgia Professional Clear Renewable L7 Certificate - Middle Grades (4-8), Social Science, Political Science (6-12)
 Professional Teaching Certificate - Educational Leadership (P-12), Gifted Endorsed, AP United States Government
      Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES) & Leader Keys Effectiveness System (LKES) Credentials