Valerie Beltran is an associate professor of education specializing in the CLAD and BCLAD programs at the University of La Verne. She also teaches in the Liberal Studies program and is chair of the Master’s of Education Special Emphasis program. Prior to joining the ULV faculty, Valerie taught bilingual second, third, and fourth grade classes, was a Title VII literacy resource teacher, was a K-12 resource teacher in charge of supporting teachers working with English learners, ran a centralized assessment center for incoming English learners, and was an elementary school principal. In her spare time, she has taught adult ESL classes, has been a LDS trainer for LA. County, and has done numerous consulting jobs with districts throughout the state.

On the personal side, Valerie has raised two children who arrived in the U.S. from El Salvador as non-English speakers. This experience of being a parent of English learners has strengthened her understanding of the needs of English learners and of the best practices to support their academic growth.