William Johnston joined Education Pioneers in summer2010 working with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). His primary project with DESE's Office of School Redesign was to develop a monitoring plan for the state's implementation of the federal School Turnaround Implementation Grant program. This competitive grant supports the dramatic overhaul of some of the lowest performing schools in the state by providing up to $2 million a year to support their transformation. William studied other states' plans and analyzed pre-existing systems at DESE to develop a plan that strikes a balance between the state's dual functions of providing assistance for districts and schools in need'while also holding them accountable for supporting student success. This work aligns with William's doctoral research interests at the Harvard's Graduate School of Education where he is plans to study how education policies impact community cohesion and student opportunities in our cities' poorest neighborhoods.