Paula Nelson

Paula Nelson has been with Step Up For Students (SUFS) for five years in the Office of Student Learning, now known as the Student Learning and Partner Success (SLPS) department. Paula co-leads a team of educators who serve to support private schools with high-quality instructional resources and best practices. These resources include assessments that drive instruction, digital tools to support learning, classroom culture, differentiated instructional practices, knowledge-based curriculum and much more. The SLPS team also supports interdepartmental initiatives to support the school choice option for students and their families.

Paula holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Specific Learning Disabilities K-12 from the University of South Florida, a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, and an Educational Specialist Degree in Teaching, Learning and Assessment from the University of Florida. She spent 32 years in Pinellas County Schools as an SLD Teacher, Varying Exceptionalities Specialist, Assistant Principal, High School Principal, and Supervisor for the Gulfcoast Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources Systems (FDLRS) for the FLDOE. One highlight during her tenure in Pinellas County, was the opportunity to join a team of educators and leaders to open a middle school that would lead the district in Total Quality Management (TQM) based on the work of W. Edward Deming. Paula served as a school-based writer for the Florida Governors Sterling Award for Quality, aligned to the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. Paula also served as an Adjunct Professor at National Louis University in the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Graduate program.