I'm Jessica Welch, the Improvement and Implementation Specialist at CSI. In this role I support schools in the ongoing work of continuous improvement. This includes supporting schools in completing the annual Unified Improvement Plan, working with schools on systems and structures to support sustainable continuous improvement, and leading an annual cohort of school leaders and school teams focused on systems improvement. I believe charter schools play an important role in a healthy education ecosystem, and may serve as models for a truly community-based and culturally responsive approach to education.

In prior roles, I've served as CSI's District Assessment Coordinator, ELD Coordinator, and READ Act/School Readiness Coordinator. Before working at CSI, I worked as a teacher and school administrator in Colorado, New Mexico, and East Africa. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a focus in Music Pedagogy from the University of New Mexico, and a Master’s degree in Mind, Brain, and Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In my free time I continue to teach and play music, and like to run on dirt as much as I can.