Alicia Báez-Barinas

Alicia Báez-Barinas began her career at the New York City Department of Education and has more than sixteen years of experience in education. This term includes more than twelve years of service in bilingual education. While working in the South Bronx, she supported multilingual learners (MLLs) as a classroom teacher, literacy/data coach, and as an assistant principal. She coordinated the development of literacy curriculum, integrated technology to meet the needs of MLLs, facilitated numerous professional development opportunities for teachers, implemented an adult ENL program for parents, and supervised Title III Saturday programs.

Alicia returned to her hometown of Buffalo, New York more than six years ago where she proudly accepted the position of assistant principal at City Honors School. At the present time, she continues to advocate and serve MLLs in Buffalo through her current role as Director of Bilingual Education for the Division of Multilingual Education. The Division has worked collaboratively to begin reforming bilingual education in Buffalo through the establishment of a bilingual school Principal Consortium; revamping Spanish literacy instruction; facilitating multiple professional development opportunities for various stakeholders; creating a middle school program to motivate Latino students entering high school; working with community based organizations and community members to raise the graduation rate of Latino students while decreasing their rate of drop-out; and working collaboratively with SUNY College at Buffalo to assist teachers recruited from Puerto Rico in obtaining New York State Certification.

Alicia has been a member of the New York State Association for Bilingual Education for more than eighteen years and is proud to follow in her father’s footsteps, Past President David Báez (1991-1992). She also serves on various state-wide coalitions and has recently been voted in as a Regional Director for the New York State Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents.