Chris Clay Smith
About Chris Clay Smith
Chris Clay Smith is an experienced educational leader and instructor currently working at Illuminate Education, Inc. He has 18 years of experience in elementary education and has contributed to the development of assessments aimed at improving student outcomes.
Work at Illuminate Education
Chris Clay Smith currently serves as an Illuminate Ed. Instructor at Illuminate Education, Inc., a position he has held since 2020. In this role, he focuses on FastBridge Learning, contributing to the implementation and training of educational assessments. His work aims to enhance educational outcomes for students through effective assessment strategies.
Education and Expertise
Chris Clay Smith holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Saint Louis University, which he completed from 2000 to 2007. He also earned a Master of Science in Educational Administration from Missouri State University between 1995 and 1998, and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Southwest Baptist University from 1986 to 1991. His educational background supports his extensive experience in educational leadership, particularly in elementary education.
Background
Chris Clay Smith has 18 years of experience in educational leadership, primarily within elementary education. He worked as a principal at Westchester Elementary School in the Kirkwood School District from 2002 to 2016, leading three Missouri elementary schools, two of which received state and national honors. His leadership experience contributes to his current role in educational instruction and assessment.
Achievements
During his career, Chris Clay Smith contributed to the development of FAST assessments, which are designed to improve reading, math, and behavior outcomes for students. He also worked as an Affiliate Trainer at FastBridge Learning from 2018 to 2020 in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area, where he provided training and support for educational assessments.
Current Involvement at University of Minnesota
Since 2018, Chris Clay Smith has been involved with the University of Minnesota as part of the FAST for Success-Reading Team. His role focuses on enhancing reading outcomes through the application of assessment tools and strategies developed during his extensive career in education.