ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Matt Navo is the director of systems transformation at WestEd’s Center for Prevention and Early Intervention. He helps districts and schools develop strategies, structures, policies, and practices that assist in closing the achievement gap for all students. Matt specializes in aligning systems for building capacity and continuous improvement, in building collaborative cultures, and in establishing coherent and efficient systems for closing the achievement gap. He also works with the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI), collaborating with state education departments and local district leaders on building improvement methodologies and continuous-improvement frameworks. Matt has experience as a special education elementary and secondary teacher, counselor, resource teacher, junior high learning director, high school assistant principal, elementary principal, alternative education principal, director of special education, area administrator, and superintendent. He was the governor’s appointee for the Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) from 2014 to 2016, and the governor’s appointee to the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) from 2016 to 2017. He is the governor’s 2019 appointee for the California State Board of Education and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. Matt has been a keynote speaker at numerous conferences on system improvement across the state of California and was a contributor to the ONE SYSTEM: Reforming Education to Serve All Students report of California’s Statewide Task Force on Special Education in 2015. As superintendent, Matt’s school district was highlighted for various achievements such as Process and Protest—California: How Are Districts Engaging Stakeholders in LCAP Development? and as a California District of Distinction in 2018. Matt received a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in special education from California State University, Fresno. He holds a professional administrative credential, multiple-subject teaching credential, and a supplemental credential with an autism emphasis. xi
