Clarence Allen

Clarence Allen has more than 33 years of dedicated service in public education. Throughout a career spanning classrooms and administrative leadership, he championed student achievement, teacher development, and community engagement.

Beginning as a classroom teacher in East Orange School district, Clarence advanced through roles that included teacher, coach and assistant principal before becoming principal of South 17th Street School in Newark in 2006. Under his leadership, the school earned recognition for data driven instruction and student achievement, demonstrating improved test scores, successful curriculum innovations, and removal from State Low performing Status.

Known for fostering collaborative school cultures, Mr. Allen has mentored countless educators and helped implement programs that emphasize equity, inclusion, and lifelong learning. Since retiring in 2025 he continues to contribute to education by consulting, volunteering and serving on boards.

Outside of education, Mr. Allen enjoys traveling, coaching, volunteering and remains committed to supporting the continued development of educators and administrators, as well as, youth in the community

Testimonials

"This is year 2 for me as a supervisor of Guidance. Although not the same evaluation tool you provided strategies to strengthen and provide comprehensive evaluations for staff to improve their delivery of services."

"This experience has been truly valuable and an experience I will never forget. It has helped build me as a leader and has taken me out of my comfort zone, where real growth begins."

"Being specific with look-fors to guide the conversation and improve teacher practice. That was really helpful for me! Yesterday I went in to observe and was very lost on what I should be looking for, today left me with everything I needed to be successful."

"The impact of this partnership has been tangible: improved teacher effectiveness, stronger leadership capacity, and most importantly, better outcomes for our students. What I most appreciate is that their support never feels generic; it feels intentional, thoughtful, and rooted in a genuine commitment to equity and excellence."

"It was a very comprehensive presentation. Thank you once again for all of your help during my first year as admin."

"What sets Mission Driven Consulting apart is their deeply culturally responsive approach. Every training and coaching session is tailored to honor the backgrounds and experiences of both educators and students, ensuring relevance and authenticity."