Maria Montalvo-Balbed

Maria Montalvo-Balbed is the clinical assistant professor of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) at Kennesaw State University in Georgia and education consultant with expertise in culturally responsive education for linguistically and culturally diverse populations. She is a member of ASCD’s FIT Teaching™ Cadre and, as such, has been involved in two long-term professional learning implementations working with principals, central office administrators, other school-based leaders, and teachers. Montalvo-Balbed has more than 30 years of experience in education in U.S. schools and American schools overseas. She has worked in teaching and administrative positions, including classroom teacher of Spanish and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), director of language, minority achievement specialist, ESOL coordinator, and assistant principal.

Along with Montalvo-Balbed’s ASCD Faculty work, she has served as the content expert for the Educating English Learners: Connecting Language, Literacy, and Culture DVD series. She coauthored an online course on the implications of the Common Core State Standards for English language learners with Bernadette Musetti and cofacilitated a webinar on the same topic. Most recently, Montalvo-Balbed and Denise Huddlestun cofacilitated an ASCD webinar on literacy in mathematics. Montalvo-Balbed has presented at conferences nationally and internationally for organizations including the American Educational Research Association, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and Learning Forward on topics related to educating diverse populations.

Montalvo-Balbed completed her doctorate in inclusive education at Kennesaw State University, where she focused her research on empowering schooling practices for English language learners. She holds a master’s degree in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from Queens College, City University of New York with a major in Spanish/secondary education and applied linguistics. She completed the principal certification program through the University of Virginia.