Department of Education

Hometown: Cranston, Rhode Island

Education: Rhode Island College Early Childhood Education Class of 2022

Arianna Mendez (she/her) is a graduate student at Brown University, pursuing a degree in Urban Education Policy. Her interest in early childhood education began with early exposure of the classroom by her mother, a teacher in Providence Public Schools and through her own experience in a Career and Technical Education Program where she entered the early childhood education workforce. She then entered the Community College of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College, where she gained further experience with birth-five, school age settings, and working alongside the Rhode Island’s tiered quality rating and improvement system. Her work is driven by her direct experience in Rhode Island’s early learning systems, where she supported both quality implementation, educator development, curriculum design, and Rhode Island early learning standards. At Brown, Arianna is expanding her foundation of education reform by deepening her skills in data analysis and public policy. Her key areas of focus include district and school leadership, sustained instructional improvement, and the intergovernmental dynamics that influence local education budgets and drive school turnaround efforts. Arianna aspires to lead transformative efforts in high-needs communities.