Sofia Aburto is a Senior Engagement Manager for WestEd.
Aburto facilitates district and schoolwide improvement planning through data and service needs assessments, sharing of research-based school improvement strategies, and comprehensive schoolwide planning in rural and urban schools serving significant numbers of students designated as English learners and students from low-income families. She also offers technical support to Arizona district or site administrators and literacy coaches in developing their classroom observation skills and teacher feedback techniques.
As a California state-approved School Assistance and Intervention Team lead, Aburto develops, supports, and monitors the implementation of school improvement plans in state-sanctioned elementary, middle, and high schools that have been identified as in need of improvement.
Aburto has participated in numerous national and state research and evaluation studies examining the impact of federal funding on services and on the academic achievement of low-income and language-minority students. In addition, she has helped numerous districts and schools raise overall achievement, narrow the achievement gap between subgroups of students, and exit state-sanction status.
Aburto was part of the team that received a WestEd Strategic Investment grant to build training and technology that supports equity-focused coaching services. The coaching approaches will incorporate culturally responsive, evidence-based adult learning practices; foundational training for coaches across WestEd; and an online coaching log to support reflection and accountability.
Prior to joining WestEd, Aburto worked closely with federal, state, district, and school staff in implementing school improvement provisions contained in several recent reauthorizations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
She has supported state departments in designing and training regional staff working with state-sanctioned schools; gathering survey information on federally funded services; and collecting, preparing, and disseminating information to districts and schools on comprehensive planning inclusive of Title I and students designated as English learners.