Mount Holyoke Alum Advances Adolescent Literacy
For Kala Jones, education has always been personal. Raised in Miami, her journey reflects the impact of mentorship, community and purpose-driven leadership.
Kala serves as a literacy specialist at the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP) Institute, where she supports the development and distribution of instructional materials aligned with the Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention (known as “STARI”), a research-based literacy program designed to support adolescent readers. In her role, she works to connect research and classroom practice, helping ensure that evidence-based approaches to literacy instruction reach educators and students.
Kala’s path to higher education began at the School for Advanced Studies in Miami, a dual-enrollment high school where she earned her associate degree alongside her diploma. Although college was always part of her plans, Posse shaped how she imagined that future. After being nominated by educators who recognized her leadership potential, she was selected as a Posse Scholar and matched with Mount Holyoke College. Though unfamiliar at first, the campus became a defining chapter in her life.
Every time I’m in a Posse room, I feel like I can do anything.
As part of the Miami Posse, she found a lasting support system. Her mentor, Prof. Leah Glaser, and her Posse cohort supported her through key transitions, including adjusting to college far from home. From holiday gatherings to late-night study sessions, Posse provided both academic and personal support. “I don’t know how I would have done college without Posse,” she said. That sense of connection continues through group chats, reunions and Posse alumni gatherings.
After graduating, Kala returned to Miami through Teach For America. She taught at Miami Northwestern Senior High School, where she later led the College and Career Assistance Program. In that role, she developed a college preparation course and helped expand access to higher education resources. She also organized a college fair that became the most successful in the school’s history. Under her leadership, students secured more than $15 million in scholarship funding, a 150% increase in awards. She also nominated several students who later became Posse Scholars.
Her work in the classroom informed her doctoral research on “slow violence” in education, examining how systemic inequities can limit long-term student outcomes. That research now informs her national work. As a literacy specialist, Kala contributes to the development and study of an adolescent reading intervention used in districts across the country. She collaborates with educators, observes classrooms and supports ongoing research focused on literacy outcomes. Her work centers on helping students engage with rigorous and culturally responsive materials.
Beyond curriculum development, Kala amplifies educator perspectives through her podcast, “SERP Stories,” which explores the experiences behind literacy instruction. The podcast features classroom teachers and researchers and reflects her view that learning is deeply personal.
Posse remains central to her work and identity. Kala is a former Posse alumni ambassador, a career mentor and an advocate for nominating future Scholars. “Every time I’m in a Posse room,” she said, “I feel like I can do anything.”
Looking ahead, Kala plans to pursue a career as a college professor, continuing her focus on education, equity and research. Wherever her path leads, she remains committed to expanding opportunity for others.
