Creating and Sustaining Inclusive Learning Environments for ALL

Dr. Michael Conner

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening. But more importantly, happy New Year 2023 and we are expecting a great year for us with progress that we’re going to see with innovation, strategic approaches around excellence and equity. And for this year with Voices for Excellence, you are going to engage in a lot of different threads with regards to how do we create and limit excellence and equity with specific threads that we really need to go deeper on if we really want to get to this level for all. Mental health and social emotional learning will be a focus. Coming up on future episodes, we’re also going to have some of the special education experts come on. But today on our episode, the first of 2023, I would like to welcome you and please, again, I did this in the last episode when we were talking about Washoe, Nevada. All right. I’m sorry, Susan. I messed up. I’m going to mess this one up even more. But I am glad to have this esteemed educator here. I mean, we’ve been connected for about, I believe, about two or three years through the ALAS Connection. She’s an award winner, a multitude of different awards. Now, I have the iPad out because I don’t want to, you know, listen, resume is important. People don’t understand the process of how you get there. So that’s why you celebrate the resume. But just within the past six years, Patricia, Patricia, please help me out right now.

Patricia Trejo

Patricia.

Dr. Michael Conner

There we go. I mean, literally, this is the second episode in a row, right? So I’ve been messing up a lot of things, But you were the SEC Emmy administrator of the year in 2016. You were the first person this is glass shattering, first Latina to be inducted into the Auburndale High School, your high school’s Hall of Fame and Polk County, Florida, where you’re actually working right now, as a senior executive director, that’s great. You get to walk into your high school, see you in the Hall of Fame, and you’re running a high level program for there. That’s excellence right there, right? That’s brown excellence. But when you think about that, you are also the president of the Florida ALAS, which is one of the biggest ALAS’s in our country. And you also won so many awards through that, The Wings of Inspiration Award, you were awarded the the Annual Tribunal Education Award. You’ve been recognized by NABSE and ALAS in your current role as president for Florida, ALAS, which is a huge advocacy role. And you are currently the Senior Executive Director for the Polk County Public Schools, Senior Director, I’m sorry, of ESOL, E-S-O-L, but I’m just more importantly glad that you were in the coalition and you’re here for Voices for Excellence. Again, welcome Patricia, you make me laugh now, Trejo. But please fix it up for me. 

Patricia Trejo

Patricia Trejo, mucho gusto. Hola Dr. Conner. Honestly, like I am, I’m humbled to be here and genuinely just honored because I– you know, I have to admit, I have listened to the podcast. I have heard the great voices of amazing national leaders from Richard Carranza, Gustavo Balderas, Alex Marrero, Zandra Jo Galvan. I mean my heroes and sheroes, many, many of my favorite people right there. Quite honestly, I can’t help but to wonder, are you sure? Are you sure that you really want me here to kick off 2023? Because Patricia Trejo is not a superintendent yet. I was actually really wondering because I’m looking at your lineup and it’s pretty impressive again, like, I’m just wondering why me Dr. Conner? 

Dr. Mike Conner

Why you? And the questions I’m about to ask you is the reason why you’re on here, because your work and I’m going to be fully transparent, your work in Florida, especially the stance of what you are doing in the context of ensuring that there are representation and curriculum there, representation within our teachers, ensuring that our black and brown brothers and sisters, specifically our brown brothers and sisters, have a voice in education with some of the policies that have been adopted in the state of Florida.So why wouldn’t you be amongst the giants? Because you are a giant yourself and I’m glad to have you here because the work that you’re doing and the work that you’re pushing, specifically an equity agenda where a lot of people don’t believe in that work, that excellence work, right? You see policies passed and you’re the one saying, no, these policies create inequities. People already got their eyes on you because you’re doing the work. So welcome to the show. Thank you for coming on, thank you for saying yes and happy New Year.

Patricia Trejo

Oh, yes. Felíz Año Nuevo, Happy New Year. That’s exactly right. And thank you so much for the invitation and thank you for providing… just explicitly sharing as to why I was invited here to share this virtual space with you and our audience. You had mentioned that I’m doing the work and I humbly do share that I have been doing the work and I do it for the benefit, obviously, of our kids. Having been a previous ESOL student myself, growing up in an immigrant migrant family of eight, parents who were farm workers who really pushed my four brothers and my sister and I to go to school so that we weren’t having to endure the hardships and the challenges that they were going through as they were being farmworkers. And and so, yeah, you know, having the opportunities that have presented itself to me with regard to the education being the first in my family to be a college graduate from the University of Florida to then earn my master’s degree. And now I am I’m looking forward to graduating this June of 2023 with my doctorate degree in educational leadership. Yeah, so I’m excited. I’m really excited and I will be the first in my family, first generation as well. And so it means so much to me. And so as you mentioned, I am here back in Polk County public schools, where I was the ESOL student growing up, this amazing district did just amazing things for me. It really impacted me in such a positive way that for me to come back and have the opportunity to serve this great district, it’s a full circle. It’s it’s surreal. I still pinch myself. I’m still wondering how on earth did this happen? Because I remember going through the elementary, middle and high schools here in Polk County, not at all ever thinking that I would be in the capacity that I now serve and at the table with the powers that be, that are making the incredible decisions in the best interest of our kids and looking around and seeing that I am only still the first Latina, you know, sitting at this table at least that’s my understanding with, again, some really incredible leaders with higher, more important titles. And so it’s like, wow, you know, it’s always been very important for me to have a voice, a voice at the table. And now here I am at that very table having the opportunity to share my voice and that it is being heard and respected. It means so much to me. 

Dr. Michael Conner

Absolutely. And thank you for your work because I’m just going to jump right into underscoring that sentiment of being at the table. Now, when I think of you in your I’d like to say dual roles, right? Your role as the Senior Executive Director of ESOL in Polk County, but also the role of being the President of the Florida ALAS, now you’re at two tables, district level and then also as the President of the Florida ALAS, ensuring that equity is lamented in the state of Florida. You’re at the state capitol. Now, all I– I’m from the Northeast, okay. And you here somethings, and yeah, you’re at the state capitol and I know your work. I know how you’re pushing this work and pushing those conversations at the state level and even at the district level. So but people that are in this advocacy work. Your work is noticed beyond Florida. And it’s actually sobering because this is a perspective that’s needed at that… at the capitol. It’s a voice that needs to be at that table. But how did you ground this advocacy work for impact, specifically around our Latino and our Latina brothers and sisters, our students? What does this advocacy work look like? Because, you know, there are so many affiliates of ALAS. There’s so many affiliates of NABSE that need to ground that advocacy work, specifically when you might have contradictory perspectives about politics, trying to be, you know, politically correct. But how do you get that action going and what is that in the context of a coalition?

Patricia Trejo

You know, I have to start with even just sharing with you my personal upbringing, you know, because I was ESOL, I could not speak English. So I recall having to travel to different states and being in classrooms where I was purposely sat in the back because I couldn’t speak English. And those that were in front of me, I couldn’t relate nor, you know, have that sense of belonging. So it starts with just my own personal experiences. And I, as I move forward into the capacity of serving as the first Latina at the school to serve as an assistant principal in a very well-to-do area, and then ultimately the first Latina as a principal in another very well to do area. It started with those experiences that I saw firsthand, where I saw some of our students that unfortunately were being treated differently. You know, they were discriminated. There was the the undertone of racism that I saw and had to address, you know, from some of the schools that I did the work at. And it was those experiences that then led me to to begin to speak up and to highlight what needed to be highlighted because it wasn’t right. I know what it felt like when I went through school in several different states in the US. I know I didn’t want the kids to have to suffer or experience some of those experiences that I did, and I really would’ve loved for someone to have spoken up on my behalf as a child growing up. And so honestly, it’s one of those internal drives that I have. I’m extremely passionate because I personally experienced that and now I see it on the other end with other kids. Unfortunately, some experiencing it as well. That that I, I had to speak up and I do speak up and I will continue to speak up for the benefit of our kids. My parents actually asked me probably, easily about three weeks ago, they said, “Patricia, why do you do all this work?” Because the work that I do, it is not– I don’t get paid, nor do I expect to get paid. And so it does take a lot of time and energy and time away from my family that they rightfully had asked, you know, like why? And, you know, and I said to them, I don’t know how to explain it other than to say that I have had sleepless nights where I sit there and I think I’m not doing enough, I’m not doing enough, which pushes me to want to do more and to continue to do more. I listen to Richard Carranza’s podcast with you and he’s right on point. You it’s it takes a very unique individual to be in these capacities. It is a calling. It’s a calling. And so I do believe that it’s work that I’m here to do for the benefit of our kids. I’m here to serve and I’ll continue to serve. And it’s not easy, Dr. Conner, you know that. If you’re a leader of color, add the layer of being a Latina, then add the layer of being a Latina that’s not as light as many of my other colleagues who were principals that were Latina, that were lighter skinned, that had different experiences than I did, and who possibly weren’t serving in environments where the the community was more often well to do so, my experiences looked differently and it was hard. It was extremely hard. And so I grounded the work in my personal experiences. What does that look like? Well, fast forward, I had the opportunity to serve in a capacity where I was able to organize district wide institutes, where we were professionally providing a learning to educators and administrators, not only just at the local level or even at the state level, but at the national level. So when I was having those opportunities, I was being very intentional, strategically ensuring that we had student voice at the table. If we’re going to do this work for, by and about kids, then we have to make sure that we have them at the table, that they’re sharing their personal journeys, their testimonials, their experiences, and that we are giving them that platform. And so, you know, to answer your question, the impact was made because I involved kids and we’ve got to continue to involve kids.

Dr. Michael Conner

When you– oh man, you’re bringing me back. When you say involve kids and student voice, I’ve always said this. Maybe three or four years ago I was still in my superintendency. I said, if we really want to make sure that we are keeping our, i.e. the adults and this level of accountability for us, we ask our kids because Generation Alpha and Generation Z, they’re going to change the world. They have to. I literally say this. They have to clean up our mess right now. And the only way that they’re going to clean up our mess in the future is that we have to be able to include their voice, to include their participation, their agency to make sure that we keep moving forward. But what I love when you talk about the advocacy work, and this is, this is near and dear to my heart because I take my personal experience to be able to deepen and strengthen the coalition around this advocacy work. And that’s the same thing with you. Your personal experiences are actually driving the passion and actually moving. And we can see the change down there. And that’s going to happen in Florida under your leadership, within the Florida ALAS. But tell us what’s going on with that. I mean, I would say between my two friends, you and Zandra, you got pretty big states there with California and Florida, of course, we know what our sister is doing out in California with CALSA, but what are you doing in Florida?

Patricia Trejo

You know that–you’re exactly right. And mi hermana Zandra is just absolutely amazing because CALSA is one of our you know, they are our familia and they’ve been helping they’ve been helping Florida ALAS since my tenure, which is something that’s unique and different, hasn’t happened. The collaborative work that under my tenure we’ve been able to do with collaborating with the Florida School Boards Association, the Florida Association of School Administrators, the Florida Association of School Superintendents. This is this is absolutely incredible and amazing. They all participated in our 10th annual statewide conference that we had this past June of 2022, something, again, that was never done. 

Dr. Michael Conner

I wasn’t there, but it was a success. I heard all about it. Go on, I just want to make sure our listeners know it was a success. But go ahead.

Patricia Trejo

Yes, it was a success. I mean, we had some of our founding fathers for national ALAS there in person. It was a great success. I mean, this is the collaborative work that we need to be doing as we’re moving forward. We need to have a unified voice. The work that the executive board and directors and I have done is we’ve met with several different superintendents across the state of Florida to show the data, because we know that when we show numbers, it’s black and white. It’s not emotional. It’s going to tell its own story and its own truth. And in sharing that data, what we’re finding is that there is an underrepresentation as it relates to those that are at the school level, as principals at the district level, as administrators, teachers, and even up until… it’s up to the superintendent seat as well. And so we’re having these really important but also very uncomfortable conversations where we’re looking at each of the districts all on its own, looking at their profile and looking at the hiring practices across the state of Florida that are happening, having conversations around with regard to the postings that are taking place, the criteria that’s being established, you know, who are the ones that are screening out candidates? If you have an interview panel who’s sitting on the other end of the table and do we have student voice and community representation at those tables, as well as ensuring that that candidates are having that true, authentic, fair opportunity to be at the table to even interview? I can tell you from my personal experience, having been an assistant principal at a specific school because I’ve worked at three different school districts, so I will protect the innocent. But in one of the school districts where I served, I mean, I was an assistant principal. I had applied for the principalship at that very exact school where I had served. I didn’t even get an interview. So knowing that that has happened to me and where I have been screened out and I know I am perfectly qualified for several different positions that have been posted, I only naturally wanted… It only naturally wanted me to dig in more along with my executive board to talk about those very uncomfortable issues. We all know, and I have had even certain people say to me, Patricia, I know how to build a committee. Okay, well, that says it all right. And so that’s why it’s important that we have the community involved. We have the students involved so that if forever reason you have your committee built the way that you like it, then hopefully there are others that are coming in to help keep it with integrity and to maintain a fairness and authenticity that it should be so that we are giving the opportunity of all leaders and specifically leaders, again, that are underrepresented leaders of color, those opportunities that are much needed because we do need to make sure that we have, in front of our kids, that representation that is so much needed now more than ever, as you know. 

Dr. Michael Conner

Absolutely. And this is the reason why you’re on this show, because when I look at that and let’s hypothetically say I’m a president of any type of organization that really wants to move the work, you’re actually bringing the conversations, you’re bringing the vitality, and you’re bringing the cognitive rigor where you’re having these really important conversations and discussions around equity and excellence. And when you talk about the hiring practices, I took a course within my Harvard program, which was around people analytics. And I’ll tell you this and we’ll move on. And we had to actually do a simulated exercise where they gave you, I mean, they were false resumes, but resumes that you had to review and then you ranked them. After you rank them, just a once over, “Oh I like him, this is great. I like her, this is great,” this and that. Then we put the resumes and the criteria, but also the variables of what we want into– we built it into this algorithm. And I’ll tell you this, it happened to me and I’m a black man. My top three, based on the analytics running through, they were my last three. The person that I had as ninth out of ten was the best qualified candidate for the goals within that simulation. So now you got to have a discussion of who’s really truly aligned to the core work as opposed to, arbitrarily, oh, a great candidate and just line them up because even though they might be great, they might not be great for the organizational goals. Any talk about fairness? Do we see that with empowering practices? Because I’m sure you probably got overlooked because you are overqualified for everything in my eyes, but you probably got overlooked because of your name. And that’s where we talk about bringing these conversations, necessary conversations to the table. Continue you that, but now I want to move… Oops, go ahead please. 

Patricia Trejo

Just my last comment on that where you know again I have the privilege of saying in different interviews across the state of Florida. So we’re grateful in that way that our executive directors and I have the opportunity to help support in said– at interviews. But one of the experiences that I also had in a district was that, like you just said, they ranked their top two or three, but then after they rank them, then they have the panel to, basically the comment when I was in that virtual space was, okay, now you guys need to fight it out. You need to fight it out and determine if this person really deserves that, let’s say that rank of a four or you’re going to go up a five, we’re going to go down to three. So now it’s a negotiation piece that happens that shouldn’t be happening and there’s no reason why we should be fighting it out. So again, these are the kinds of conversations that we have brought to light that we are engaging with various superintendents across the state of Florida. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive. We’ve got really amazing leaders here in Florida that they themselves know that there is an underrepresentation. And in doing that right work to ensure that it does increase for the benefit of our kids. 

Dr. Michael Conner

Absolutely. And continue that work because that is the work that needs to be pushed right? Community representation, Generation Alpha, Generation Z, 48 to 50% of Generation Alpha, Generation Z are black and brown, but still operationalize or the business model of education where over 90% are Anglo-Saxon. So we have to now really bring in representation in order to have representation in the organization. Continue that as well. But now I want to get into your level of expertise right as the Senior Director of ESOL, but you’re just not doing that work. You are really doing the work to redesign what systems and how instruction/pedagogy is delivered from an equity lens because you were in ESOL student so it means so much to you. So in your alma mater and Polk County being this Senior Director, what– if there’s other ESOL directors… There are other ESOL directors across the country. And the reason I’m focusing on specific threads of education in 2023, because, you know, now we got to start disaggregating what equity looks like and bringing in the experts and, EL and ESOL, they need attention. Leaders need to focus on that because we want to reach this level of all. So what strategies, because you’re doing some really innovative work down there, which strategies would you buy to other leaders, including superintendents because again why I say superintendents is I was a former superintendent, we don’t know it all. We need to lean on the experts to create a divergent model so that all students can succeed. What ideas, strategies, mehtods would you give superintendents and individuals across this world, leaders across this world that have the same position as you to be able to now do that effective redesign for all specifically focused on ESOL students? 

Patricia Trejo

So Florida right now is sitting third nationally with regard to the English language learners, which is pretty incredible. In fact, Spanish is the native language of the majority of the students, with them speaking more than 200 different languages in the state of Florida. So quite honestly, Dr. Conner, what we are calling attention to is not only just the data as it relates to the numbers and quantifying it, but also looking at the the testimonials and the personal journeys and the needs of our kids. And what we’re finding is the supports in the resources are lacking. I’m going to say it’s lacking. And now, having had the opportunity to serve as a Senior Director for ESOL, yes, I started at the end of August, but let me tell you, I learned very quickly that my colleagues who are sitting in similar positions in different school districts across the state of Florida, whether they are senior directors, directors of ESOL, multicultural departments, multilingual departments, everybody has their own unique name. But what we’re finding is that there is a lack of consistency and a lack of resources, a lack of support in coaching. And so, in fact, Florida ALAS intentionally has brought in various directors of these different departments to come together and collaborate to ensure that we are sharing best practices, that we’re helping and supporting and coaching one another, even extending a helping hand and providing mentors to those of us, including myself, that need it right now. Because now I understand why when we have leaders of color sitting in a certain capacities, we need to make sure that we’re setting them up for success. And the only way to do that is to provide that much needed support in which I commend National ALAS because they do that. Florida ALAS we do that. We don’t let you sit out there by yourself in isolation. When I was a previous principal, Dr. Conner, I can tell you I didn’t get that coaching and that mentorship that I know I so needed. The questions that I was asked was, What questions do you have? Okay, well, I don’t know what questions to ask because you don’t know what you don’t know. And so here I am having to experience this amazing opportunity, but also learning and understanding that it’s work that can’t be done alone. We have other districts that are supporting the very exact similar situations, that are having to navigate through similar situations and challenges. And in order to address that, we’ve got to come together as one unified voice. So some of the examples that we’ve been talking about and research shows this, right? So research is showing us that in order to support our students that have language barriers and to help support them academically and linguistically, we’ve got to look at the opportunities as it relates to the dual language immersion programs. This is research based, evidence based that is demonstrated and showing that students do become academically successful and become linguistically proficient because of the opportunities presented within a dual language immersion program. I was a previous principal of dual language– of a school that had dual language, two different schools that had dual language immersion programs. And I can tell you the just absolute amazing success stories that occurred because of the opportunity, because of the program, the staff that were able to provide curriculum and instruction in a student’s native language, that were bilingual, multilingual, right. And so we’ve got to provide these opportunities and ensure that we are continuing to share the research, but also continuing to demonstrate and showcase those school districts that have successful dual language programs. 

Dr. Michael Conner

You just went through a really sequenced professional learning model that I would hope everybody would adopt. So, and as our participants, right now, as they’re listening to this, the reason I love this is because asynchronous learning. They can actually go back and listen to this again. And you just actually prescribed in the most eloquent way of just creating a sequenced professional learning model that is grounded in programs or design of programing for all. So when you said the main word opportunity. And as you know, my framework, the Disruptive Excellence Framework, there are specific elements within the framework around closing excellence gaps. So when we talk about expectations, when we talk about opportunity or access performance, and when we talk about readiness in the context of ensuring that our practitioners are ready to deliver, that the high quality of instruction and within a dual immersion program, you’re hit in every single element within the disruptive excellence framework to ensure that there’s a level of excellence. But you I heard you in the past always use this word and you use it intentionally – inclusive. And when we talk about and we had a really, really good conversation of, wow, I admire what you’re doing and for and this was off line and you’re like, I just want to create inclusive environments for all. That stuck with me because you’re doing that work. It’s evident. But under your leadership, cultivating this level of culture around inclusive is arduous, specifically with the political battles that we’re fighting. To change culture, to be more equitable, to change culture, to ensure that all has a level head. How would you now, because I know you’re doing this working in Polk County, but how would you now start reexamining or reimagining culture with ESOL to ensure that we are creating inclusive environments? 

Patricia Trejo

Yeah, our students definitely need a sense of belonging and like I said, I had that poor personal experience of not having that at times in some of the schools that I participated or attended across the nation. And so it is important that our students have that welcoming, inclusive environment that is highlighting their culture, their customs, their traditions, and by doing so, ensuring that there is curriculum instruction that is infused with the various cultures. So here in Florida, we actually have a Florida state statute 1003.42 that highlights the importance of infusing African, African American, Hispanic, Latino and Holocaust studies within the curriculum instruction regardless of their grade level and subject area. And so this is really important. And so the work that we’re also highlighting is ensuring that that the curriculum and instruction is infused with this cultural, relevant, responsive pieces so that our students see themselves and others. And it’s absolutely amazing because when you have kids and I can talk from my own personal experience. My daughter, she was in a dual language program, but unfortunately, due to the transitions– For me, I was fortunate because I was having different opportunities professionally. But that also affected my daughter, as an example ,who had to leave a specific school, transition to another one, they didn’t have the dual language program. She had been used to looking at bilingual text, reading it, was bilingual biliterate and then went to a school where again, she no longer was able to see text and visuals that look like her, and she actually came home to me and was like, “Mommy, where are the where are the books?” And I go, “What books?” And she goes, “The ones that had girls that look like me.” And I literally, I was– it took me aback, it took me a second to respond to her because here I am doing this work as a leader, knowing that it’s important, highlighting it, but here’s my own coming home and saying to me that she’s missing. She’s missing a big, huge piece from going to school of not being able to see herself and what she was learning and couldn’t really identify and have that sense of belonging that as as the Mom, I went in and I shared that with the teachers and the principal and really emphasized the importance. That it was important for me to make sure that she was being exposed and having that enrichment of having that exposure regarding other cultures and traditions and customs. And so, yeah, the work that we are doing locally, at the state and national level, as you said, yes, I have gone to Washington and have articulated this and highlighted the importance of having inclusive content, ensuring that we are incorporating all of these wonderful cultures so that the students have that sense of belonging, that they do feel that they’re being represented. Students beam with smiles even if teachers just learn one or two words in their native language, you see them beaming. And then again, this is all backed up by research. So a lot of that, he work that we do and that I have personally done has been research based evidence. Again, when I go back and I talk about the dual language immersion, it’s not so much about providing just a program. It’s more than that. There’s a deeper dive in it in the sense that we have to make sure that we’re hiring certified bilingual teachers. We know that there’s a shortage out there right now. So we’re very realistic, we know that. But we only have to be intentional when we’re recruiting. And then when we’re recruiting and retaining leaders, that we’re also recruiting and retaining leaders that serve these schools, that have language immersion programs that are culturally competent, that they are advocates, that they do have that equity mind, because it’s really important because in those specific environments, in my personal experience, like what I said, I saw many different things occurring. I was witnessing certain students because they had language barriers that they weren’t even considered to be identified as gifted, or if they had learning disabilities, then they were being screened out of the language program because they had learning disabilities. So these experiences that I witnessed, again, have helped me now to look at it through a different lens and say, “Hey, we need to call attention to it, we need to be talking about this.” There’s much needed professional learning around this. So the other capacity that I have started is providing professional development to educators and administrators with regard to culturally relevant, responsive curriculum, again aligned to the Florida state statute. So you can’t go wrong any time you’re abiding by the state. That’s your right, you can’t go wrong because it’s– and I have to say that because it’s– I want to make it very clear it is not critical race theory. The Florida statute is not critical race theory. The Florida statute simply asking that we infuse, for example, Hispanic contributions to the United States.

Dr. Michael Conner

I have to interject really fast. Because Richard and I, we got in a conversation in the podcast about woke. Okay, so we gave a clear definition about woke and our perspectives. And when you think about critical race theory, I still have a hard time understanding the concept of how critical race theory was integrated into education. I, again– and I look at it from a holistic perspective and try to be very objective in how I look at everything, because all perspectives could be new learning for me, but I’m still to this day having a very difficult time cognitively understanding how critical race theory was integrated as pedagogy in our in our classrooms. I just like to see a lot of people that look like you and I in the curriculum where they’re actually presidents and where they’re actually essential characters within the book, in the content. So I’m still trying to see how that is critical race theory, but I had to bring that up because it brought back to the… I believe it was the episode with Richard around the Woke and how that came into education. And in our and our politics but go right ahead. I’m sorry to interject, but I really wanted to go back. 

Patricia Trejo

No, that’s quite all right. And I did hear that conversation and it was a very powerful, so if you didn’t hear that one, please go back and hear the podcast with Richard Carranza. You know, it was a meaningful conversation. And so, yes, I did have to… I do feel like I have to clarify that. So any time you are just aligning the curriculum instruction to Florida State statute as it’s written, then you’re good. The other parts that I think it’s important to talk about is that our English language learners have rights, just as our students that have learning disabilities, that are identified ESD that also perhaps, or other students that have 504 plans, I think it’s important that we talk about those rights and accommodations that are in place for English language learners and like, listen, they also are protected under the Title six and seven Civil Rights Act of 1964. I think that’s important to note that there are some pivotal cases out there, for example, Playar versus DOE and in Law versus Nicholas. I mean, these are different certain federal cases that have occurred. And I think it’s important to note and to continue to talk about and I bring it up because, again, you know, my experiences have been where, you know, unfortunately, in some circumstances, certain students aren’t getting the accommodations or aren’t getting that equal access that aren’t being treated equitably or equally. And so I have to bring it up to say we’ve got to be mindful. We don’t want to run ourselves in a situation where there could be a potential litigation because we are not honoring, respecting and ensuring that our students are getting the rightful access to educational programs. 

Dr. Michael Conner

Absolutely. ALL. You know its become a habit now that even if I’m just let’s say I’m writing a blog or a or or doing or writing something from a professional lens with a white paper, I always capitalize A-L-L. And that is exactly what you’re talking about, is that the conversations have to become deeper. Because the work that you’re pushing is justice work. And that is kind of, I believe, going to be have to be the next iteration and a stage of education. Equity is great, but in order to really get to the core that you’re talking about, we have to get to that level of justice work. But the work you’re doing is future driven. We can say balance and innovation and excellence when we talk about your work at the as the president of Florida ALAS. A lot of that innovation work in the context of, hey, you got to look at your hiring practices or we have to ensure that our black and brown students are represented and they’re getting a representative curriculum as well. The divergence that you talk about with regards to using curriculum to drive culture change and have inclusive content, please copyright that because that is so true. But with this level of intentionality. How do you design a robust ESOL program or a program rooted in everything that you were just talking about? 

Patricia Trejo

You know, I’m very fortunate, like I said earlier, to be back home and to have this great opportunity to now serve all of our students. Of course, with the particular emphasis on our English language learners, having come into a county where it’s a little over 116,000 students with about 169 different schools, we’re looking at easily about 24– Yeah, we’re the seventh largest in Florida.

Dr. Michael Conner

I just got to just stress this, 116,000 kids, over 200 schools.

Patricia Trejo

That’s 116,000. Yes, that doesn’t seem right because it doesn’t include charter schools with easily about over 24,000 active English language learners with seven instructional coaches that are servicing all of these schools. So I have walked into what I believe is a really great opportunity. I have said it and I’ll say it again. There is definitely a lot of love and care that’s needed here and I’m excited. I’m excited as I move forward because what I’ve already done is conducted a SWOT analysis. I have had my team and I really go through what are the strengths and weaknesses? What are some of those threats and opportunities? And really hone in on those opportunities and really work through to ensure that we are servicing, you know, for the best way that we possibly can for our English language learners, ensuring that we are looking through a lens that is asset based. I think that’s important to highlight as well, you know. ESOL on itself, you know, we even had conversations about ESOL. Why is it the ESOL department, why is it not the multicultural department right? I mean, just ensuring that we’re looking at it through an asset based lens, that we are providing that much needed professional development, that it is based on research and data, ensuring that those ESOL strategies are being utilized because not only will they benefit our English language learners, but it will benefit all of our kids. And I think also ensuring that the mindset is on understanding that our English language learners are all of our kids. Absolutely every single one of them are all of our kids, regardless of whatever grade we’re teaching or what subject area we’re, we’re doing in there, every single one of our kids. I think that’s important as well. So really just working to create, welcoming and inclusive learning environments for our English language learners, again, just ensuring that we are working towards… ensuring that we’re getting the resources as well, that are so much needed, ensuring that they are also provided in the native language of the student. So there’s, there’s a lot of work ahead. But, you know, to answer your question, I’m grateful and I’m honored to have the opportunity to really dive in deep because there’s so much, so much love and care, like I said, that is that is needed. And the great part about it is that every time that I have walked in any school thus far, the principals, the administrators, the teachers have been nothing but welcoming. All they want is to understand. There’s so many of them already that have reached out and said, you know what, come to my school. We want to understand, we want to learn. We want that professional development, which is absolutely amazing to see that positive response. So it’s very, it’s absolutely, again, like I said, I’m still pinching myself. I can’t believe that I’m here, but I am and I’m grateful and I’m going to do the best that I possibly can to ensure that our kids do get the supports and and the resources that they so much need right now in order to be academically and linguistically successful. 

Dr. Michael Conner

You know, your work is completely, it’s just in all. Because your work as the president of Florida ALAS, but what I think I failed to recognize and to our participants is this – Polk County is massive. It’s not what I did when I was a superintendent. Patricia has 20,000 more students in her program than I had in my district. And if you want to go back and get the actual analytics, you can do the math. 216,000 students in Polk County, but within Patricia’s program is 24,000 students. So it’s massive. Massive. And then she’s doing the massive work with Florida ALAS. So, wow. You know, and continue to push. Continue to push work because what you’re doing with regards to resource allocation but looking at it from this reimagination process of ALL. ELL students, ALL, program and resources, but my last question to you, and I know you and I, we like to talk, right? Because I mean, Patricia, we were talking I mean, in your answers, you were actually given policy numbers down to where you can find it. There’s only a few other people that know how to do that, and that would be you and I. So that’s why our conversations are so research driven, because you know your stuff but you only could answer, right? This is and I do to all of my, all my participants on here, you only can answer using three words. This is it. It’s very hard. I know we like to talk a lot. You know, the last episode, Susan Enfield, I gave her the same question. Then she said it and she was like, Can I just go on? You got to know Dr. Susan, it will just going on. 

Patricia Trejo

I did hear that. I did hear that.

Dr. Michael Conner

Three words Patricia. What do you want this audience or what do you want our participants to leave today with regards and excellence, equity and transformation with regards to classrooms in their districts to be more culturally relevant and to be more inclusively sensitive? 

Patricia Trejo

Three words. I want– three words. I want them to leave with affirming, honoring and strengthening. And because I’m not allowed to say anything else, that’s all I’m going to say.

Dr. Michael Conner

You better steal some time, you better steal some time because I’m writing it.

Patricia Trejo

We have to make sure that we are affirming our students, we’re validating them, we’re acknowledging, recognizing and hearing their voice, letting them know that they they are important regardless of where they come from, regardless of their race and ethnicity, and their language barriers. We have to honor what they have, again, looking at through an asset based lens and ensuring that we’re strengthening the opportunities for them. Strengthening. I think that’s important. We need to make sure that we’re preserving their their cultures and their traditions, ensuring that we’re giving them access and differentiating. I think it’s important we meet them where they’re at and help them get to where we want them to be. We should not at all ever, ever. I hate to even use the word, but water it down for our kids because I’ve heard that word used. I’ve heard that word used. Our kids are resilient, they’re brilliant, and we just have to give them those opportunities and the right supports.

Dr. Michael Conner

But you got you got you got three times, three or four times whatever the amount was, but that was necessary. And you said another word that I want to add on for you differentiation, because that’s how we’re going to get to really memorializing what all looks like and Patricia, thank you for being on Voices for Excellence, the first episode of 2023. I told you I am going to come out blazing. This episode is going to be amazing for our participants. But thank you for everything that you do for kids. I learned so much from you. Right. And I think that anybody from this podcast knows that engaging in a conversation with you not only is going to be grounded in research, not only you’re going to have the evidence to support it, but you got the work behind you and people that just want to pick your brain, how would they be able to get in contact with you? 

Patricia Trejo

Well, you can reach me. I am here at Polk County, so you can reach me at patricia.trejo@polk-fl.net. Or you can reach me through Florida ALAS as well. So in fact, go to FloridaALAS.org and you’ll find all the information there. 

Dr. Michael Conner

Thank you. Thank you. And the reason why I did that is because ELL and ESOL is not going to be forgotten. Okay? So and we want to make sure we’re getting best practices from the best educators across the country. So, Patricia, happy New Year. So much for being on. And I know we’re going to be seeing each other in the future and be talking as well. But like I said, keep up the great work in 2023.

Patricia Trejo

Thank you. I’m grateful for the opportunity release on your new level and just you know, thank you. I appreciate all the work that you’re doing and and please continue to do it because it’s so much needed.

Dr. Michael Conner

Revisit it. And on that note, onward and upward, everybody. Take care. Happy New Year.