Brittany Banner is a 2024-2025 Teach Plus California Policy Fellow. She is a 5th grade teacher, reading specialist, and literacy specialist teacher for the 5th grade student body at Melrose Stem Elementary in West Hollywood, California. Brittany focuses on building students’ love for reading and writing, as well as collaborates with colleagues about literacy instruction and restorative justice practices. She received the City of West Hollywood Award Grant for Art and Literacy (2023) and McNair Scholar Alumni Bronze Medal (2024) from California Polytechnic University, Pomona. Brittany started her educational career as a teacher’s assistant, supporting students in a small-group setting with an emphasis on English language arts and math in grades K-5. She earned her BA in political science with research focused on the underrepresentation of women in politics from California Polytechnic University, Pomona. She earned a teaching credential and MEd focused on reading literacy from California State University, Los Angeles.
