SAN DIEGO, CA, July 18, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Amanda E. Carlson has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Dedicated to advancing early childhood education, Ms. Carlson has centered her career on social, emotional, and behavioral strategies for young learners. Since 2022, she has powerfully impacted the San Marcos Unified School District as its Coordinator of Early Learning. She's been crucial in guiding transitional kindergarten teachers through a comprehensive four-year journey, fostering a deep understanding of early brain development and its influence on how young children learn.

Ms. Carlson's leadership proved pivotal during California's expansion of free transitional kindergarten access for four-year-olds. She skillfully ensured the initiative's effective implementation, providing vital support to educators, students, and the broader community. Her work consistently champions student agency, universal design for learning, and holistic student development. Furthermore, as a key part of California's P-3 Initiative, she spearheads an innovative early learning team. This team is dedicated to creating inclusive opportunities across all settings for young learners and providing coaching and mentorship for the professionals who serve them.

From 2015 to 2022, Ms. Carlson served as the Preschool Program Specialist within the Special Education Department. During her tenure, the established preschool assessment team, already recognized as one of the best in the county, continued to excel, even amidst the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. In this administrative capacity, she was responsible for overseeing both the assessment team and the broader preschool special education department. Her contributions during this period highlighted her dedication to inter-agency collaboration, continuous professional development for educators, robust family support, and fostering collective success.

As a Special Education Specialist in the preschool department from 2008 to 2015, Ms. Carlson made a significant impact. She was key in developing and leading the district's inaugural transdisciplinary assessment team, a groundbreaking program that unified highly trained specialists. This team delivered comprehensive assessments to three-year-old students transitioning from early intervention into district special education programs. Additionally, Ms. Carlson held the position of Special Education Team Lead at her school and contributed as a representative to the district's Professional Learning Community for Special Education.

Ms. Carlson's career demonstrates a consistent knack for leadership and team-building. From 2004 to 2008, she worked as a Special Education Specialist with the Orange Unified School District, and prior to that, she was a Mentor Teacher at the Mardan School from 1998 to 2004. In both positions, she effectively led her teams and often served as the administrative designee for various meetings. Her deep passion for teaching and her talent for fostering strong teams have been defining characteristics of her professional journey.

Ms Carlson's strong educational background, including a bachelor's degree from the University of North Florida in 1995 and a master's degree from California State University, Fullerton, in 2002, was instrumental in developing her broad expertise across early childhood education, special education, and behavioral intervention strategies.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Ms. Carlson is deeply committed to civic engagement. Inspired by her mother's work with Habitat for Humanity and the United States Peace Corps, over the years, she has volunteered with several organizations, including the PACE Center for Girls and the People with AIDS Coalition of Jacksonville. Her dedication to community service is further exemplified by her participation in numerous fundraising events for organizations like Susan G. Komen and various children's charities.

Ms. Carlson's dedication to education was recognized early on when she received the Teacher of the Year award from Mardan School in 2003 and the Very Special Person award from the National Parent Teacher Association in 2007. Looking ahead, she intends to continue advocating for the widespread implementation of inclusive, developmentally appropriate practices across school districts nationwide, emphasizing the importance of establishing strong educational foundations for young children to ensure their future success.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

# # #