Sara Mead is Deputy Superintendent for Early Learning in the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) of the District of Columbia. In this role she leads the District’s efforts to improve early learning for children birth to eight, ensure that working families have access to high-quality childcare, and collaborate with other District of Columbia agencies and public and private partners to build an integrated and comprehensive early learning system. Prior to joining OSSE, Sara was a partner at Bellwether Education Partners, where she led the organization’s early childhood and policy and evaluation practices. From 2009-2017, she also served as an mayor-appointed member of the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board, which authorizes charter schools in Washington, D.C. Sara joined Bellwether in 2010, after directing New America’s Early Education Initiative from 2007-2010. Prior to joining New America, Sara analyzed education policies at Education Sector and the Progressive Policy Institute and served in the office of U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Slate, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, Education Next, Behavioral Science & Policy, and numerous other outlets. She chairs the board of the National Association for Charter School Authorizers (NACSA). She holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Vanderbilt University.