Elysa Vargas, Ed.D.

Experience

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  Teach For America

  Jul 2006 - Jun 2015

  Lead Program Manager

  Beginning as a Corps member, I quickly grew into a full-time teaching role and, by 2009, I was in leadership positions at Bright Star Schools. With Stella Middle Charter Academy, I oversaw daily operations, strategic planning, and outreach, which included building sustainable relationships with our community partners. I hired, trained, and developed personnel; administered budgets and evaluated resource needs to maximize access and equity for our programs; and ensured we met our quality and compliance goals. Highlights:● Fostered a culture of data-driven decision-making, which was leveraged to redesign our curricula and instructional models and resulted in a nearly 20% improvement in student performance and academic achievement. ● Reduced equity gaps for English Language Learners (ELLs) and Special Education students by 15% through customized and research-based interventions. ● Improved instructional practice and performance of educators through the implementation of an observation and feedback model, enabling 80% to achieve effective ratings on the Danielson framework rubric. ● Launched an advisory program and developed the program curriculum, resulting in 90% of students reporting an increased sense of belonging and engagement within the school community. ● Collaborated across departments to drive significant improvements in student achievement, reaching the highest Academic Performance Index score in the school’s history. ● Planned and managed key experiential learning events, including securing funding, organizing logistics, and developing learning guides. ● Led internal discussions and workshops on internalized and implicit bias, privilege, and other topics. ● Played a key role in the successful Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC) accreditation process. Show less

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  Arts In Action Community Charter Schools

  Jul 2015 - Jun 2017

  Principal

  As a Principal, I evaluated our systems and policies with a focus on resolving gaps and defining a consistent vision for the school with measurable benchmarks and milestones. We leveraged project-based learning (PBL) across the school community to build accountability and ownership of academic success for both teachers and students. I designed and facilitated staff workshops that increased knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and peer mentoring, as well as enhanced the employee experience. Highlights:● Guided educators and staff in incorporating relevant topics and themes related to social justice for a diverse student population, improving ELA outcomes by 12% and cultivating a culture of engagement and belonging for all. ● Increased family partnerships, participation, and engagement during conferences by 25% through the introduction of effective communication tools. ● Maximized teacher performance and practice by implementing a comprehensive coaching, observation, and evaluation cycle. Show less

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  The Wonderful Company

  Jul 2017 - Dec 2020

  Program Director

  I led the Early College Career Pathway program for the Wonderful Agriculture Career Prep (CTE) CSR initiative. My responsibilities included strategic planning, policymaking, outreach, and operations. I built dynamic dashboards and prepared analytical reports and data insights to respond to changing program needs, as well as implemented a continuous improvement model to ensure equity for participants. Additionally, I wrote and managed grants; recruited and trained teams; and acted as the primary liaison to our partners. Highlights:● Sustained partnerships with 8 high schools in the Central Valley, guiding the implementation of a rigorous academic and workforce development program that resulted in nearly 60% of participants earning two-year degrees. ● Supervised a team of 6 direct reports and actively supported and evaluated 25 school leaders' implementation of program model, directly impacting over 1,500 students across 3 counties. Led continuous assessment and feedback loops to ensure program alignment with educational and business objectives, driving improved outcomes and long-term sustainability.● Collaborated with our partners on optimizing processes, resolving gaps, and drafting MOUs to enable 99% of students to meet college admission requirements for the University of California system. ● Analyzed workforce and labor trends throughout the region to design strategic plans that opened new career pathways and options for future participants. ● Nurtured trust with local businesses to create robust career development opportunities, such as internships, mentorships, job shadowing, and apprenticeships, as well as secured 95% participation from partner schools. ● Enabled students within the program to complete 14K+ volunteer and work-based learning hours per year. Show less

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  Instruction Partners

  Jun 2021 - Jul 2022

  Director, Partnership Engagement

  In this role, I guided policy design, strategic planning, and partnership development across the US with an emphasis on expanding and scaling our services to improve educational equity. I managed our partnership portfolio and maintained open lines of communication to ensure engagement and satisfaction. I also developed and implemented professional development opportunities for schools. Highlights:● Collaborated with Marketing to refine our brand story and ensure effective communication of our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) for underserved communities and populations. ● Served on the Antiracism Steering Committee tasked with advancing our organizational vision and commitment to addressing systemic racism through partnerships. ● Wrote a playbook to document best practices in partnership engagement, resulting in high Net Promoter Score (NPS) ratings for the organization. Show less

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  San Bernardino City Unified School District

  Oct 2021 - Jul 2022

  Consultant

  I partnered with Great Gains (consulting practice) to support the new District Superintendent and other leadership on a large-scale evaluation of existing programs, including conducting walkthroughs of district schools to assess issues related to learning and instruction. Highlights:● Facilitated professional development workshops for educators and trainers on adult learning theory to improve instructional practice and add value through learning and development (L&D) initiatives. ● Created a research-based resource guide for district administrators on adult learning theory. ● Identified techniques for improving alignment between instructional practice, curriculum, and standards. ● Led student focus groups and gathered data and insights for a comprehensive report, providing leadership with clear action plans and recommendations for system-wide improvements. Show less

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  Grow Public Schools

  Jul 2022 - Aug 2024

  Director of Learning & Innovation

  As part of a newly revamped leadership team that included the CEO and Chief of Schools following COVID, we collaborated on conducting an organizational effectiveness assessment, recruiting staff, and designing compensation structures. I supported talent acquisition and performance management efforts, learning and development (L&D), conference, professional development and workshop planning, leadership development, internal communications, budgeting, and technology integration. Highlights:● Fostered a culture of knowledge-sharing by leading management coaching programs, enhancing communication across teams, and championing the organization’s commitment to learning and growth. ● Led a team of 15 direct reports and provided strategic oversight for a broader team of 150, fostering collaboration and alignment across departments to drive organizational goals and performance● Established and refined our Teaching & Learning Framework and curricula based on changing research-based practices and data trends. ● Created clear and consistent formative assessment tools and systems aligned with organizational goals and state standards, ensuring rigorous and equitable evaluation of student progress. ● Reinvigorated our relationships with schools, partners, and families by creating trust, generating buy-in for policies, and transforming our brand's perception through regular engagement with the organization’s advisory councils, communications, and presentations. ● Empowered leadership and practitioners to make informed, real-time decisions regarding performance and instructional practices through the integration of a wide range of data analytics tools and technologies. Show less