The Florida Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (FL-ALAS) helps to transform educational institutions across the state of Florida by seeking to ensure that the educational needs of all students are met, with an emphasis on Hispanic/Latino youth. FL-ALAS also supports the Florida State Statue 1003.42 (p), which mandates curricular inclusion of “the study of Hispanic contributions to the United States.” The statute helps to ensure Latino history and culture are infused within the curriculum and instruction for all subject areas in grades K–12. It also helps to transform classrooms into culturally responsive learning environments, where all students benefit from being enriched and exposed to diverse Hispanic/Latino experiences. It gives students a better understanding of the culture, customs, and traditions.
The representation of Hispanic/Latino history and culture within the curriculum and instruction also helps Hispanic/Latino students to build a healthy self-awareness, take pride in their heritage, and feel a sense of belonging. Annually, FL-ALAS supports the Hispanic/Latino Studies Institute, which helps to increase cultural competence and assists in the development of culturally responsive classrooms. Visit and learn more at https://palmbeachschools.org/9HispanicLatino.
FL-ALAS also advocates for an increase in diversity among educators, so that students of color are reflected in the teachers and administrators who serve them.
We also proudly work to build capacity, promote best practices, advocate for sound educational policies, advance equity and equal access to education, build pathways for leadership, foster community outreach, encourage parent involvement, and provide networking opportunities for educators.
For additional information, please email us at [email protected] or visit our
website, https://www.flalas.org.
Patricia Trejo is the president of FL-ALAS with 23 years of experience in education. She has served as a teacher, learning team facilitator, assistant principal, principal, and program planner. Her experience includes working at Title I and non-Title I schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, as well as at schools with dual language, gifted, VPK, pre-K, STEM, and EBD programs.
She also serves as the co-facilitator for the National Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents’ Linking Latina Leaders Network and is a recent graduate of the ALAS Superintendents Leadership Academy, Cohort X.
