Amanda E. Carlson approaches early childhood education with a blend of insight, dedication, and leadership that has shaped classrooms, guided teachers, and strengthened school systems for more than 30 years. As coordinator of early learning at San Marcos Unified School District, she leads the district’s multi-year effort to support Transitional Kindergarten educators in meeting the needs of California’s expanded four-year-old eligibility initiative. Her leadership ensures that both teachers and young learners benefit from a clear, developmentally appropriate path forward. Recognized for her expertise in social, emotional, and behavioral strategies for children and adolescents, she plays a central role in advancing inclusive and responsive learning environments.
Ms. Carlson holds a master’s degree from California State University, Fullerton, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Florida. Her academic foundation has influenced a career committed to practical innovation and systems thinking. She leads the district’s early learning team as part of the Portrait of a Graduate framework, helping to align systems from Transitional Kindergarten through third grade. Her work emphasizes age-appropriate curriculum design, integrated support, a universal design for learning, and sustained collaboration across grade levels.
Before stepping into her current role, Ms. Carlson was the preschool program specialist within the special education department. There, she redesigned and implemented specialized programs tailored to the diverse needs of young children receiving special education services. Her earlier position as a special education specialist further strengthened her focus on inclusive learning, advocacy, and personalized support. She consistently collaborated with teachers, administrators, families, and the greater early education community to build environments where every child could succeed.
After working with at-risk youth in the 9-R School District in Durango, Colorado, Ms. Carlson moved to California to begin her work at the Mardan School. While at Mardan, a non-public school providing comprehensive services for students experiencing behavioral and mental health concerns, she was a mentor teacher and was honored as Teacher of the Year. She went on to serve in Orange Unified, continuing her work with students requiring specialized support and contributing to team-based instructional practices, and while there received the Very Special Person Award from the National PTA. Over the years, she has remained committed to professional growth, often seeking ways to expand her impact beyond the classroom.
In addition to her school-based work, Ms. Carlson has maintained active involvement in professional organizations such as the Council for Exceptional Children, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the California Association for the Education of Young Children. These affiliations reflect her engagement with evolving research, best practices, and policy in early childhood education.
Ms. Carlson also dedicates time to civic and volunteer work. Her involvement has included supporting Habitat for Humanity, Wounded Warrior, and the PACE Center for Girls, as well as participating in charity 5K events for causes to support breast cancer research. Early in her career, she volunteered for the AIDS Coalition of Jacksonville.
Outside of her professional life, Ms. Carlson enjoys beach outings, hiking, biking, and cheering for her local professional women’s soccer team, the Wave. Looking ahead, she advocates for stronger national attention to developmentally appropriate practices in early learning. Her vision centers on building educational foundations that empower young children and support the educators who guide them.