April Leah Clinard is an educator and equity-focused practitioner with over fifteen years of experience working across special education classrooms, instructional coaching, program facilitation, and research. Her work centers on expanding access to inclusive, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive learning experiences that support the academic and emotional growth of all students.

April is a 2014–2015 member of the Governor’s Teacher Network and a 2023–2024
Kenan Fellow. She has been recognized as both School and District Teacher of the Year and honored as an Educator of Excellence, reflecting her sustained commitment to instructional excellence and educational equity. Throughout her career, April has supported students with diverse learning needs and partnered with educators to strengthen instructional practices through coaching, professional learning, and outreach.

April holds a bachelor’s degree from UNC–Chapel Hill, a master’s degree in Special Education with a concentration in Behavior Disorders, from North Carolina Central University, and a graduate certificate in Special Education with a concentration in Autism from the University of Kansas. Her academic and professional training inform her strong commitment to Universal Design for Learning (UDL), culturally responsive practices, and evidence-based supports that create meaningful access for all learners.

She is particularly passionate about equity-centered outreach, disability inclusion, and trauma-informed practices that honor students’ identities, experiences, and strengths. April believes that schools thrive when learning environments are rooted in care, flexibility, and high expectations, and she works to help educators build systems that allow every student to learn and grow.