Dr. Pelayo is the ALD4ALL Project Director. She is also the State Director of the Bilingual Multicultural Education Bureau of the New Mexico Public Education Department.

Excerpt from a newsletter article published in
Noticiero (NMABE, October 2012).

Dr. Icela Pelayo received her Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California, focusing on learning, instruction and policy in P-12. She completed her undergraduate studies in Spanish Language and Literature, and Political Economy of Industrial Societies at UC Berkeley.

Prior to pursuing doctoral studies at USC, Icela earned her M.A. in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University while serving as a public school teacher in South Los Angeles, where she worked with culturally and linguistically diverse students, including English language learners. As a teacher leader, she collaborated with administrators, teachers and parents to foster authentic home-to-school connections and create lasting community partnerships.

Her research background includes the intersection of policy with respect to the instruction of English language learners, especially as these relate to teacher quality, culturally and linguistically responsive instruction, and professional development. Icela’s most recent work focused on developing and implementing a model of culturally and linguistically responsive coaching and professional development with Bilingual Early Childhood educators working in a multicultural setting with English language learners.