DeVonté Payton

DeVonté Payton

2019 NACSA Leader

Advisor, School Development Shelby County Schools

DeVonté Payton is the School Development Advisor for Shelby County School’s Office of Charter Schools. He leads the charter authorization, interim, and renewal evaluation processes for the district’s portfolio of 57 charter schools. Previously, he served as the Director of External Affairs for KIPP Memphis, managing external partnerships, brand management support, and student enrollment.

DeVonté earned his B.B.A in Marketing Management from the University of Memphis and has over ten years of experience working in education. As an education advocate, he has worked closely with schools to develop and implement strategic plans for community engagement, recruitment & retention of talent and students, and high school/college placement.

His wife, Alyssa, is an assistant principal. They have three children – Dylan, Alyson, and Alaina.


Most Recent Posts
How to Start Updating Your New School Application to Reduce the Paper Burden
Most authorizers will need some time to make NACSA’s suggested improvements to their new school application process. Here are some ideas on where to start.  1. Focus on the vision...
NACSA Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Charter Schools
Statement from NACSA President & CEO, M. Karega Rausch, Ph.D., on the Supreme Court of the United States decision in the case of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School...
After a Quarter Century: Time to Reboot the New Charter School Application Process
The public charter school sector was designed to be responsive and innovative, operating in a space freed from the bogged-down bureaucracy that so often hampers other public schools. Each new...