Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 10–11 a.m. PT / 1–2 p.m. ET
Learn from Reading School District leaders as they share the process and the benefits of establishing an in-district English as a Second Language (ESL) certification program designed to amplify access and opportunities for Multilingual Learners.
In this session, WestEd and Reading School District will discuss the value of a collaborative certification development process that responds to the unique, localized needs of educators and their school communities.
Together, they will share how leaders from both organizations collaborated and partnered to develop and implement an in-district ESL certification program designed to build educator capacity and improve outcomes for Multilingual Learners.
Presenters will highlight the program’s structure, partnerships, and lessons learned while showcasing its impact on teaching practice, student learning, and the overall climate and culture of the district.
Who Should Attend?
- District leaders
- State policymakers
- Multilingual specialists
- Principals
- Superintendents
- ESL program coordinators
- Professional learning designers
- Anyone interested in innovative educator certification models
Discussion Topics
- Recognizing in-district certification as a multipronged solution
- Selecting the right partner
- Designing the credential program
- Evaluating impact
Webinar Moderator
Kate Wright
Senior Director, State Education Services, WestEd
Kate Wright serves as the director of the Arizona Mayors Education Roundtable and is a state education expert in policy and technical assistance with a focus on strategic planning, monitoring implementation, interest holder engagement, and facilitation. Wright helps states and education leaders build and enhance systems and structures to successfully achieve priority education initiatives and outcomes. As the former director of the Region 15 Comprehensive Center, she led over 40 annual projects across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah, building the capacity of state leaders to implement multiple new initiatives, including academic frameworks and standards, accountability systems, school improvement strategic plans, resource allocation review processes, and leadership development programs. Prior to joining WestEd, Kate served in multiple roles at the Arizona Department of Education, including chief of staff, associate superintendent, and deputy associate superintendent.
Featured Speakers
Leslie Hamburger
Vice President, K–12 Systems, WestEd
Leslie Hamburger provides strategic direction and leadership for a large portfolio of teams and projects focused on improving education systems for diverse student populations. She leads the English Learner and Migrant Education Services, Quality Schools and Districts, Educational Leadership and Systems Design, Literacy, and Assessment for Learning teams at WestEd. She directs large-scale research, development, technical assistance, and professional learning projects focused on improving educator capacity to achieve equitable outcomes for Multilingual Learners. Her main areas of interest and research include English Learner pedagogy, mathematics curricula and instruction for Multilingual Learners, and the development of educator expertise in multilingual academic contexts.
Lyn Westergard
Program Associate, English Learner and Migrant Education Services (ELMES), WestEd
Lyn Westergard supports local education agencies in increasing equitable access for Multilingual Learners. She utilizes her extensive knowledge of quality instruction for English Learners, standards-based teaching, language and literacy development, and sociocultural learning theory to guide her work collaborating with partnering agencies to meet common goals in culturally responsive and sustaining educational practices.
Angel Zimmerman
Director of the English as a Second Language Program at the Reading School District
Angel Zimmerman has worked in the Reading School District in Reading for 28 years, serving as a 1st grade teacher, instructional coach, elementary principal, middle school assistant principal, and ESL supervisor. The Reading School District ESL program serves more than 5,700 English Learners, who make up 34 percent of the district enrollment.
Wanda Gonzalez-Crespo
Assistant Superintendent, School Improvement, Reading School District
Wanda Gonzalez-Crespo has worked in urban education for over 26 years, serving as an elementary classroom teacher, an instructional coach, a district-level K–12 ESL supervisor, and an elementary school principal. Currently, Crespo serves the Reading School District as Assistant Superintendent of School Improvement. Her passions include Systems of Continuous Improvement, the teaching of ESL, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and Language and Literacy Development. A graduate of Reading High School, Gonzalez-Crespo was instrumental in envisioning an in-district ESL certification program and has led the development and implementation.