Jana Martella

Jana is currently providing leadership advice to multiple state, organizational and IHE entities overseeing policy and practice in early childhood education. She was a Senior Advisor at the Education Development Center (EDC), and from 2012-19 was the Co-Director of the US Education Department sponsored comprehensive technical assistance Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) in the EDC Early Learning and Development Portfolio. Her background includes serving as executive director of both the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS-SDE) and the National Association for Regulatory Administration (NARA Licensing), and providing leadership and support to states and organizations on early childhood initiatives. In addition, she brings to her work many years of experience in education, including as a teacher and assistant school administrator, state legislative liaison and coordinator for federal programs.

A central part of her focus has been on education system and program improvement through standards-based reform, including her work in promoting improved opportunities in early childhood education. She has worked on multiple initiatives designed to advance high quality in early childhood education and in child care in the states. She supports school linkages to children aged 0-8 – particularly for those at risk of school failure; facilitates early childhood systems building; expands on research findings on policies and practices that promote school readiness; and, assists states in the improvement of early childhood accountability and governance mechanisms that support child development and learning.

Ms. Martella holds masters’ degrees from San Diego State University and the Johns Hopkins University.