Dr. Melody Schopp

Board Member

Dr. Melody Schopp is the VP of Government Relations at MetaMetrics, an organization that provides scientific measures of student achievement and growth to improve education outcomes for all learners through actionable data. She serves as a strategic liaison between MetaMetrics and state legislative bodies, state education agencies, national organizations, and executive branches of state governments.

Prior to coming to MetaMetrics, she served as the Director of Education Industry Consulting at the SAS Institute, supporting the Education Practice with a passion for by providing insights into student learning.

Dr. Schopp was the Secretary of Education in the State of South Dakota for seven years where she served on Governor Daugaard’s cabinet. Before her time as Secretary, she served in numerous roles in the Department of Education that was preceded by twenty-four years of classroom experience and six years on a school board.

Prior to joining SAS, Melody had an Education Consulting firm for three years and supported clients across the country on numerous K12 issues. She continues to be engaged in national and international education issues and recently traveled to Kyrgyzstan through the US Embassy to support the Minister of Education’s Task Force as they look to expand student opportunities.

Dr. Schopp served on several national boards and was president of the Council of Chief State School Officers. She was also the treasurer of Education Commission of the States and on the board of directors of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG). She currently serves on the board of TPI-US.

Schopp has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in elementary education, and a PhD from the University of Lincoln, Nebraska in higher education and leadership.