Overview
Cerelle Morrow is a national expert in professional learning and school improvement with nearly 30 years of experience supporting state education agencies, districts, and schools in implementing high quality teaching and learning practices. As Senior Program Associate, Morrow partners with diverse interest holders to build sustainable systems that enhance educator effectiveness and student outcomes. She brings expertise in the area of English Learner instruction, adolescent literacy, and continuous improvement cycles.
Morrow’s expertise encompasses professional learning design and guidance development for diverse student populations, including English Learners, students with disabilities, and dually identified students. She creates and delivers evidence-based professional learning experiences through multiple modalities—workshops, coaching, and professional learning communities—all grounded in adult learning principles and school improvement efforts. In her work as a Senior Program Associate, she has fostered expertise in understanding how systems work, contributing to instructional coherence efforts in school districts across the country.
Prior to joining WestEd, Morrow worked with nonprofit organizations and publishing companies supporting district-level teams on K–12 topics, developing evidence-based tools and strategies for building diverse students’ literacy and English language skills. Morrow’s career is anchored by a commitment to education excellence shaped by her previous work in the science of reading, service learning, and international education. She began her educational journey as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines and is a former ESL/ELA middle school teacher.
Education
- MEd in international education development (specialization in TESOL), Teachers College, Columbia University
- BS in English education, Florida State University
Select Publications
Rhode Island Department of Education. (2021). Rhode Island’s blueprint for multilingual learner success.
California State Department of Education. (2019). California practitioners’ guide for educating English learners with disabilities.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2019). Guidance for Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) programs.