Our mission is to facilitate knowledge exchange of educational trends and opportunities to enhance the academic achievements of students in diverse language programs and highlight research and practice that are best suited to emergent bilinguals/multilingual learners, ensuring a comprehensive approach to the educational experiences of all students.
Renaissance Spanish and Biliteracy Advisory Council
Our mission
About the Council
The Renaissance Spanish and Biliteracy Advisory Council is committed to creating positive impacts and outcomes for Emergent Bilingual/Multilingual students. Through engagement with leaders, we facilitate conversations on research, best practices, and visionary thinking.
The council assesses the effectiveness of Renaissance solutions in these learning contexts. Our platform further promotes networking and knowledge exchange, creating a collaborative space to address the distinctive needs of educators supporting EB students in English-as the language of instruction, bilingual, and dual language programs.
Our goal
The primary objective of the Spanish and Biliteracy Advisory Council is to establish a collaborative forum for members to exchange insights on emerging trends and opportunities in education.
Focused on advancing the success of emergent bilingual/multilingual students in diverse language programs, the council aspires to be a catalyst for positive disruption in education. It seeks to redefine how emergent bilingual students are supported and advocates for the development of assessments and educational technology tools tailored to their specific needs, fostering innovation and inclusivity in the field.
Methodology
The committee achieves its goal through a combination of virtual and on-site meetings. These sessions, developed collaboratively with Renaissance sales, product, and research teams, align business priorities with product development and messaging. Council members discuss current research, trends, and opportunities, identifying areas for improvement and potential development across Renaissance products and services.
This strategic approach ensures effective planning and guidance for the enhancement of educational tools and support tailored to the needs of emergent bilingual/multilingual students.
Council members
Samuel Aguirre
Director, WIDA Español
Samuel Aguirre is the Director of WIDA Español for WIDA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He manages the research, development, and delivery of WIDA resources focused on Spanish-language instruction.
Samuel Aguirre is the Director of WIDA Español for WIDA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He manages the research, development, and delivery of WIDA resources focused on Spanish-language instruction. His oversight includes a framework for Spanish language arts, standards for Spanish-language development, professional learning, and Spanish-language assessments. Sam is a former emergent bilingual, teacher of bi/multilingual learners, and served as director of multilingual student services for the Illinois State Board of Education. He continues to advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in his daily work.
Dr. Igone Arteagoitia
Research Scientist at CAL
Dr. Arteagoitia specializes in bilingualism and biliteracy development in Spanish-English bilingual students. As Project Director for the Oregon K-12 Biliteracy Pathways project, she supported the development and evaluation of dual language programs in the state.
Dr. Arteagoitia specializes in bilingualism and biliteracy development in Spanish-English bilingual students. As Project Director for the Oregon K-12 Biliteracy Pathways project, she supported the development and evaluation of dual language programs in the state. Dr. Arteagoitia conducts language and literacy research and provides workshops and trainings for teachers globally, focusing on literacy, metalinguistic awareness, academic vocabulary, and language assessment. Holding a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, her research spans psycholinguistics, language and literacy development, and intervention studies, with publications in peer-reviewed journals and reports for the U.S. Department of Education.
Kathy Escamilla, PhD
Professor Emerita, Bob and Judy Charles Endowed Chair of Education and Professor • Project Director, BUENO Center for Multicultural Education
Kathy Escamilla, a professor emerita, continues to focus on educational concerns for Spanish-speaking language minority students in U.S. schools.
Kathy Escamilla, a professor emerita, continues to focus on educational concerns for Spanish-speaking language minority students in U.S. schools. Her research centered on bilingualism and biliteracy development in early grades. and her investigation of assessment practices and the impact of high-stakes testing contributed significantly to the field. Dr Escamilla has served as a two-term president of the National Association for Bilingual Education, a co-editor of the Bilingual Research Journal, Chair of the Bilingual SIG for the American Educational Research Association, and was a contributor to the National Committee for Effective Literacy.
Dr. Manuel Escamilla
Former Director of the Bueno Center and Co-Founder of Literacy Square
Dr. Manuel Escamilla was the director of the BUENO Equity Assistance Center for Region VII at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Dr. Manuel Escamilla was the director of the BUENO Equity Assistance Center for Region VII at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He received his Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Kansas and has been a professor of Bilingual Education in California and Arizona. He served as the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Arizona and at Metropolitan State College of Denver. He has also directed Head Start programs in Denver, Conejos-Costilla County, and Huerfano-Las Animas Counties in Colorado.
Elizabeth Jiménez Salinas
CEO, GEMAS Consulting
Elizabeth Jiménez Salinas, CEO of GEMAS, leads an educational consulting firm dedicated to enhancing English Learners’ education and community impact.
Elizabeth Jiménez Salinas, CEO of GEMAS, leads an educational consulting firm dedicated to enhancing English Learners’ education and community impact. Holding an MBA from Claremont Graduate University, she earned teaching credentials and taught in California public schools. Elizabeth served as Legislative Aide, advocated for EL legislation, and led statewide training initiatives. A speaker at national conferences, she has played a key role in bilingual education in California and Puerto Rico. As an accomplished writer, advisor, and evaluator, Elizabeth has influenced curriculum development and educational startups in the US.
Dr. Gracie Guerrero
Ft. Worth ISD, Associate Superintendent
Dr. Guerrero is Associate Superintendent Fort Worth ISD in Texas and is an accomplished educator whose career spans nearly 30 years from classroom teacher to superintendent.
Dr. Guerrero is Associate Superintendent Fort Worth ISD in Texas and is an accomplished educator whose career spans nearly 30 years from classroom teacher to superintendent. Dr. Guerrero has been not only a fierce advocate for emergent bilinguals, she also has a proven record of expanding and enhancing dual language programming to support this growing population of students.
Leigh Mingle, PhD
Senior Director, Strategic Operations
Dr. Leigh Mingle serves as the Senior Director of Strategic Operations for Ensemble Learning, a nonprofit with the mission of equity for multilingual learners.
Dr. Leigh Mingle serves as the Senior Director of Strategic Operations for Ensemble Learning, a nonprofit with the mission of equity for multilingual learners. She supports business operations and conducts research and data analysis for partner schools. She holds a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Previously, Leigh served as a data scientist for a large, urban school district and curriculum development company. She specializes in student learning and cognition as well as motivation in education.