Ann Neeley

Ann Neeley is a Program Associate with SEDL's Education Systems Support (ESS) program. She is currently working on a project with the Texas Education Agency’s Educator Standards and Certification staff. The multi-year project includes facilitating consultants and stakeholders as the TEA Educator Standards are updated and aligned to the Career and Technical Education courses' Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

Dr. Neeley has conducted extensive work with the SEDL school improvement approach, Working Systemically. Other recent work includes writing materials and training for the Texas School Support Teams in the design and delivery of webinars highlighting segments of school improvement research. In addition, she has presented on numerous topics, including small learning communities, reducing the high school dropout rate, professional learning communities, and increasing the impact of school leadership on student achievement. Dr. Neeley is experienced in coaching schools and their leaders in school improvement that results in turnarounds for student learning.

• High School Reform: Dr. Neeley’s extensive transformation work with very low-performing secondary schools has resulted in their recognition for significant improvement. She assists schools in the use of Early Warning Systems to reduce dropout rates and increase graduation rates. She has also worked with many high schools in the Small Learning Communities grant.
• Leadership: Dr. Neeley focuses on the implementation of turnaround research for school leaders and uses her numerous years of public school leadership experience to add the element of practical knowledge to the work.
• Turning Around Schools: At SEDL, Dr. Neeley has more than 11 years of experience coaching and guiding school leaders in the use of data and research-based practices to build their capacity to turn around their schools.

Before joining SEDL in May 2001, Dr. Neeley spent more than 30 years in the public school system. For part of this time she served as principal in an urban Texas school district for both elementary and secondary schools. During her tenure, the elementary school was recognized as a Best of Texas campus and a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School. She also served as a district-level reading coordinator for grades K–12. In this role, she provided guidance for implementing a systems approach to reading using an individualized, diagnostic, prescriptive process. In addition, Dr. Neeley implemented professional development throughout the district focused on adolescent reading processes and on techniques for reading in the content areas.

Dr. Neeley earned a BS, MA, and MEd from the University of Texas at Austin, and an EdD from Texas A&M University at College Station. She holds Texas certifications for superintendent, supervisor, mid-management, reading specialist, and teacher for grades K–12.