Press release:

Experienced educational leader Jessica de Barros has been selected as the Project Director for the Road Map Consortium District Race to the Top grant. de Barros will start March 25 and report directly to the recently established Executive Committee.

As project director, de Barros and the Executive Committee will be responsible for the implementation of the four-year, $40 million federal grant for the Road Map region of Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, Seattle and Tukwila school districts.

De Barros returns to Pacific Northwest region after spending the last two years serving as the Director of Impact for the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. In her role with the partnership, she designed and implemented a system to achieve aggressive goals across a turnaround network of 22 schools and 40 home office employees.

From 2008 -2011, de Barros served Seattle Public Schools as the Manager of Academic Planning & School Improvement as well as a project director.

Prior to joining Seattle Public Schools, she served as a Senior Policy Analyst for the City of Seattle Office of Education and helped reform the City’s 2004 Families and Education Levy.

“We are thrilled to find someone of Jessica’s caliber and experience to lead our Race to the Top consortium work, commented Puget Sound Educational Service District Superintendent John Welch.

“She has been an educational leader in our region for several years prior to her most recent experience in Southern California. We’re glad to bring back homegrown talent with this innovative and exciting grant director opportunity. I am confident Jessica will help move this project forward to benefit students and schools in the region.”

After graduating from Seattle’s Franklin High School, de Barros attended American University in Washington, D.C. and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She continued her studies at the University of Washington and earned her Masters of Public Administration in 2002.

De Barros, while an employee of the Puget Sound ESD, will report to the nine-member Executive Committee with Superintendent Welch serving as her immediate supervisor. She will be housed at the Puget Sound ESD headquarters located in Renton.

The members of the Executive Committee, who were recently selected in January, include:
District Management Leaders Representatives: 
Rob Neu, Superintendent, Federal Way Public Schools;
 Alan Spicciati, Chief Accountability Officer, Highline Public Schools;
 John Schmitz, Principal, Dimmitt Middle School, Renton School District

At-Large Community Organization Representatives: Mark Okazaki, Executive Director, Neighborhood House;
 Mary Jean Ryan, Executive Director, Community Center for Education Results

Teacher Association (Union) Presidents Representatives: 
Connie Compton, Kent School District;
Phyllis Silling, Renton School District; 
Stacie Hawkins, Highline Public Schools

Puget Sound Educational Service District
: John Welch, Superintendent