Kia Johnson, Ed.D. brings over 17 years of experience in serving, teaching, and supporting English learners and educators across North Carolina, Virginia, and nationwide. Her career has spanned roles such as ESL teacher, ESL Department Chair, and ESL Lead Teacher, culminating in her current position as Senior Director of PreK-12 Professional Development and Evaluations at the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL). In this role, Dr. Johnson leads CAL’s professional development initiatives, overseeing the design and implementation of research-based training programs that enhance the capacity of educators to support multilingual learners in English language development and dual language programs. She manages a diverse portfolio of projects, including customized professional learning, instructional coaching, and program evaluations
Before joining CAL, Dr. Johnson served as the English Learner Assessment and Title III Specialist for the Virginia Department of Education, where she managed the implementation of WIDA’s suite of English language proficiency (ELP) assessments and ensured Title III compliance across the Commonwealth’s 133 school divisions, representing over 115,000 English learners. Notably, she spearheaded the development of an alternative calculation model for determining overall ELP for students with disabilities who were unable to participate in one or more language domains of their state assessments.
Dr. Johnson is highly skilled in language instruction, educational policy, and administration, with a strong background in integrating language, student identity, and culture into education. Her work spans the intersections of research, policy, practice, and innovation in the field.
She holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Loyola Marymount University. Her research explores the leadership practices of Title III Coordinators in low-incidence districts in new immigrant destinations. She also holds a Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language from Jones International University, a Master of Education in Educational Administration from California University of Pennsylvania (PennWest), and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Fayetteville State University.
Outside of her professional life, Dr. Johnson enjoys spending time with her husband and their five daughters. Her hobbies include collecting comic-themed figurines, shopping, and engaging in deep discussions about films from various genres.
