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Libia S. Gil & Ana Díaz-Booz

Photograph of Libia S. Gil
Libia S. Gil
Senior Advisor, National High School Center

Libia S. Gil joined the American Institutes for Research to continue her work as the former Chief Academic Officer for New American Schools. In this capacity Dr. Gil provides senior counsel on leadership development initiatives and assists states and districts in developing strategies for improving student achievement by bridging research evidence with practice evidence. Dr. Gil is currently the lead consultant for the High School Renewal efforts on behalf of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the San Diego Unified School District. Dr. Gil was Superintendent of the Chula Vista Elementary School District for over nine years. In addition to multiple awards and honors, Dr. Gil received the 2002 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education for her outstanding leadership as Chula Vista Superintendent. The McGraw Prize is awarded annually to individuals who demonstrate exceptional contribution to the improvement of education systems. Additionally, Dr. Gil has received the Leadership Vision Award by the California Association of Bilingual Education in 2003. Dr. Gil has a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with emphasis on bilingual and multicultural education from the University of Washington.

Photograph of Ana Díaz-Booz
Ana Díaz-Booz
Principal, School of International Business (2008 California Distinguished High School )

Ana Díaz-Booz is the principal of the School of International Business (SIB) at the Kearny High Educational Complex in San Diego, California. Together with her instructional leadership team, teachers, and students, Ms. Díaz-Booz has helped SIB earn distinction in the areas of Title I achievement and "Fast-Track" junior college dual enrollment while posting a bronze medal in U.S. News and World Report's annual list of America's top high schools. In her school's short five-year history, SIB students have out-performed area high school students on statewide assessments in all English language learner (ELL) sub-groups and elevated the school's academic performance index each year.

As a first generation, bilingual student from a Spanish-speaking household, Ms. Díaz-Booz possesses a unique understanding of the struggles of ELL students in the nation's public schools and the importance of rigor and high expectations. She earned a BS in mathematics and a teaching credential from the University of California, San Diego. And after serving as a math teacher in the San Diego Unified School District, Ms. Díaz-Booz earned her master's degree and administrative services credential from the University of San Diego.

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English Language Learners

Question 10: Could you please share your Reading curriculum? What methods and strategies do you use to integrate ELL students into your mainstream programs?

Responded by: Ana Díaz-Booz (Principal, School of International Business)

I appreciate your interest and an opportunity to respond in this forum to a question we have been asked many times at conferences and within our own district. I have been extremely pleased with the gains of our ELL students over the years and, as this year’s testing results are being reviewed, we again look to be headed in the right direction. However, when the question of curriculum arises, people are often looking for my staff and me to reveal a previously undisclosed secret. I would love to say that we have found the “holy grail” of curriculum that can address the challenge of bringing ELL students up to grade level work and proficiency on standards based assessments. I have found that the reality is that the curriculum does not matter as much as the strategies used to approach the curriculum. To be honest, the ELL students at our school use the same books as their English speaking peers and are held to the same standards.  We have found that adherence to rigor and the use of context reading strategies push our students further than any of the packaged curricula or technology applications that have been solicited in our district.  If you think about it, most of the curricula currently available have merit. There are materials which have been developed by many reputable companies which present content in an efficient and impressive manner. However, if the kids cannot make sense of the materials and understand the “bells and whistles” it won’t matter how much the site has paid for the books. I have referenced the Strategies for Literacy Independence across the Curriculum (SLIC) program and its implementation at our site many times in my previous responses (specifically, please see the previous question about technology) and our achievement data certainly supports the assertion that targeting specific students for immersion into a reading program which provides strategies for understanding text will move them forward.