Champion Michelle Dillard serves as the Chief of Schools for the DeKalb County School District, leading the Division of Schools and Leadership with a steadfast commitment to equity and student success. In this role, she oversees seven area leadership teams that support 138 schools and centers across the district. She also directs the work of the professional learning and leadership development departments. The Division of Schools and Leadership focuses on working collaboratively with principals and school teams to improve instructional quality, drive academic achievement, and foster a strong school culture.
Mrs. Dillard’s leadership is rooted in intentional systems, data-informed practices, and targeted interventions designed to strengthen academic performance while supporting the whole child socially, emotionally, and developmentally. Her approach reflects a clear and consistent focus on scholar outcomes across all learning environments.
With over two decades of experience as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and cabinet-level executive, Mrs. Dillard brings a deep expertise in curriculum implementation, leadership coaching, and school transformation. Before joining DeKalb, she served as an Assistant Superintendent in Jefferson County Public Schools, where she developed and led the district’s Professional Learning Communities (PLC) framework, recognized nationally and used as a model for school improvement.
Champion Dillard lives out the belief that, as Rita Pierson once declared, “Every child deserves a champion.” Her passion for coaching school leaders, cultivating leadership pipelines, and guiding schools through Collaborative Calibration Visits (CCVs) is grounded in a systems-level approach that prioritizes growth and excellence for every student. Under her leadership, DeKalb’s PLC framework was developed and implemented districtwide, reinforcing the importance of collective efficacy in driving academic success.
Mrs. Dillard holds a Bachelor of Science in Special Education from Murray State University, a Master of Science in Educational Administration, and a Rank I certification in School Superintendency and Pupil Personnel from Western Kentucky University. She is also a Harvard University-trained leadership fellow. Throughout her career, she has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Woman King Award from the Department of Equity, the Baird Excellence Award, and the Hilliard Lyons Principal of the Year award.
Champion Michelle Dillard’s mission is to ensure that every principal leads with clarity, every teacher instructs with excellence, and every student, regardless of background, feels seen, supported, and prepared for college, career, and life.
