Melissa Kaplan

Deputy Superintendent of Education

Melissa Kaplan currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent of Education at Bright Star Schools, where she leads school growth, culture, and performance, and oversees the Heads of Schools and the Vice Presidents of Family and Student Services, Curriculum and Instruction, Inclusive Education, People Development, and Academic Initiatives in their management and guidance of school staff.

Previously, Melissa was the Chief Academic Officer at ICEF Public Schools, where she was responsible for managing the academic program at 14 schools serving 4,500 students in grades K-12, coordinating and delivering professional development for more than 150 teachers and administrators, and ensuring the alignment of the curriculum with college readiness standards.

Melissa has been involved in the Los Angeles charter school movement since 2003, and has served in a variety of leadership roles including district and site administration, demonstration teacher, and teacher coach. She has also worked extensively as a consultant assisting districts and charter management organizations nationally in curriculum development and system building, especially in the area of reading and writing across the curriculum.

Before joining the charter school movement, Melissa taught English in Palos Verdes Unified School District and Oley Valley School District in Pennsylvania. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and theater from DeSales University and a master's of education from UCLA.