About Kyla Byas-Smith

Deputy Chief of Staff

Kyla Byas-Smith serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff at KIPP Atlanta Schools. In this role, Kyla supports the KIPP Atlanta Schools Board and Chief Executive Officer by providing executive-level assistance and coordination, ensuring seamless communication and operations across the organization.

Before transitioning to her current role, Kyla served the KIPP Vision Primary School community as Principal for three years. In that time, she led with a focus on academic excellence and community-building, upholding the core values of love and dedication to students’ success. Prior to her principalship, Kyla served as the Principal in Residence and as the Lower School Assistant Principal, consistently driving school improvement and staff development. Prior to her tenure at KIPP Vision Primary School Kyla joined the KIPP STRIVE Primary School team as a 1st Grade Lead Teacher. During her tenure at KIPP STRIVE, she was one of the inaugural teachers to launch the KIPP Wheatley Reading Curriculum in the Metro Atlanta region, contributing to the development of literacy excellence for KIPP students.

Kyla’s journey in education began as a Teach For America Corps Member in Metro Atlanta. During her tenure, she taught at Wesley International Academy, located in downtown Atlanta. Over her three years at Wesley, she taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades. In her final year as a Corps Member, she was honored with the Future Leader of Tomorrow award by her Teach For America cohort.

Kyla holds a B.A. in International Studies with a minor in French from Spelman College and an M.A.T. in Elementary Education from Georgia State University. She remains dedicated to fostering a culture of excellence and love within the KIPP Atlanta Schools community.