Melissa Johnson is the Operations Coordinator at Attuned and brings over a decade of experience in rural and urban education. She has partnered with students, families, community members, and colleagues to transform educational discourse and conventional pedagogical methods. Melissa is committed to supporting systems that ensure equitable student outcomes through the prioritization of cultural aptitude, stakeholder self-efficacy, and community partnerships.
Prior to joining Attuned, Melissa served as a LEE Public Policy Fellow in the Office of Instruction, Assessment, and Curriculum at the Rhode Island Department of Education. In this role, she was a key contributor to Columbia University’s pilot of the Curriculum Implementation Change Framework (CICF), a toolkit designed to help districts understand the experiences of teachers and school leaders with curriculum implementation. She led and performed K-12 classroom observations across the state, collecting data on the application of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) in ELA and math. Analysis of the collected data offered districts critical insights into the successes and challenges of HQIM implementation, leading to actionable strategies for improvement and tailored support for instructional staff. Additionally, she assessed K-12 social studies curricula, concentrating on cultural inclusivity, student support, literacy development, and compliance with state standards.
Melissa has held various leadership roles, including Communications Officer, Dean of Culture, and Instructional Coach. She began her education career as a Teach For America corps member, teaching 5th grade on the Rosebud Reservation in Mission, South Dakota.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan and a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University.
