Dual Language Educator Conference 2026

May 16th, 2026 • University of Maryland Campus

The Dual Language Educator Conference brings together educators and leaders in Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) to promote awareness, foster partnerships, and exchange knowledge and resources aimed at advancing DLBE excellence and equity.

Registration & Pricing

    • Individual: $50

    • Group of 3 or more: $40

    • Individual: $75

    • Group of 3 or more: $65

    • Individual: $95

    • Group of 3 or more: NA

Register
Register

"Rooted in Community, Empowering Bilingual Education."

This year’s theme highlights MILE’s recognition and appreciation of the rich cultural and linguistic assets that our community brings to empower bilingual education. It reflects our collective commitment to strengthening instruction and advocacy for programs that promote multilingualism.

Introducing our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Jasmine Brann

Bilingual Brilliance - ¡Brilla Tu Luz!

Dr. Jasmine Brann is an inspirational school leader and national advocate for multilingual education. With over two decades of experience, she has dedicated her career to cultivating inclusive, high-achieving school communities where students’ identities, languages, and brilliance are affirmed and celebrated.

Honored as the 2024 DC Public Schools Principal of the Year, Dr. Brann is recognized for her leadership in language learning, equity-centered leadership, and community engagement. In partnership with her school community, she led grassroots transformation to unify the English and dual language strands into a whole-school Bilingual-Arts model for all students in 2023, followed by the successful renaming of the school from John Tyler Elementary to Shirley Chisholm Elementary in 2024—centering love, leadership, and legacy.

A passionate advocate for Black and bilingual learners, Dr. Brann strives to help champion a holistic language learning approach that centers identity, community, and agency in multilingual education, with the goal to expand access and opportunity for historically underrepresented students. 

Integrating her work throughout life’s classroom, Dr. Brann is also an author, consultant, speaker, financial education designer, and founder of the nonprofit Do Write Today, which promotes literacy, kindness, and scholarships for D.C. high school graduates. A musician and creative, she draws on her faith and the arts to inspire reflection, joy, and connections with her music students and audiences everywhere. She treasures making lifelong memories with her husband and son through conversation, nature, and travel.

Dr. Brann holds degrees from Howard University, the University of Maryland, and Bowie State University. Through her leadership and voice, she seeks to do her part to co-create a bold, collaborative vision of education—one where every individual is empowered to shine brilliantly and in every language.

Schedule & Sessions

    • 8:00 - 8:30 Breakfast

    • 8:30 - 8:45 Welcome and Opening Remarks

    • 8:55 - 9:40 Session 1 - Concurrent Sessions

    • 9:50 - 10:35 Session 2 - Concurrent Sessions

    • 10:45 - 11:30 Session 3 - Concurrent Sessions

    • 11:40 - 12:40 Lunch

    • 12:40 -1:35 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jasmine Brann

    • 1:45 - 2:45 Collaborative Conversations 

    • 2:45 - 3:00 Raffle

    • 3:00 - 4:00 Social Hour (TBA)

    • Where Standards Meet Stories: Growing Early Biliteracy Across Languages Together / Donde los estándares se encuentran con las historias: fortaleciendo la biliteracidad temprana juntos, a través de los idiomas
      Gricell Medley, MCPS
      Room 2114
      Spanish session

    • Expanding confidence through Sociocultural Competence: crossing borders with humility, communication, and cooperation
      Guillermo Brown, Archbishop Borders School - Archdiocese of Baltimore
      Room 2118
      Bilingual session (Spanish/English)

    • Panel: The Power of Family–School Partnerships: Desarrollando la lectoescritura bilingüe
      Dr. Martin-Beltran, Liza Sanchez,  Bianca Garrett amd Participating Families, PGCPS
      Room 2123
      Bilingual session (Spanish/English)

    • STEM en español: matemáticas que unen escuelas y familias
      Gloriana Vargas, DCPS
      Room 2124
      Spanish session

    • Where Words Sparkle: Bridging English and Spanish With Classroom Enchantment
      Sara Shoemaker & Marcy Sprouse, HCPS
      Room 2217
      Bilingual session (Spanish/English)

    • De los datos a la acción: decisiones instruccionales en educación bilingüe
      Dr. Marimar Santiago-Almodóvar, PGCPS
      Room 2242
      Spanish session

    • What happens before the sentence? How children become writers across grade levels
      Karina Rondón Farge & Liz Diaz, DCPS
      Room 2114
      Spanish session

    • Building Comprehension: Narrative Diagram Strategies for Dual Language Classrooms
      Paola Ibarra, MCPS
      Room 2118
      Bilingual session (Spanish/English)

    • Bridging con Propósito: Intentional Connections for Biliteracy
      Patricia Donati, DPCS
      Room 2123
      Spanish session

    • Care beyond the classroom: Supporting immigrant/refugee students through counselor professional development
      Taylor Togafau-Lewis, Jessica Diaz, Rocio Hernandez, Jaqueline Marquez & Teena Waller, University of Maryland
      Room 2124
      English session

    • ¡Somos Científicos! Integrando contenido y lenguaje riguroso durante la clase de Ciencias.
      Karen Serrano, Lorena Rosario & Alina Thouyaret, DCPS
      Room 2217
      Spanish session

    • Language Difference or Disability? Supporting Dual Language Learners and Preventing Misidentification in Special Education
      Chesse Doré, DCPS
      Room 2242
      Bilingual session (Spanish/English)

    • Panel: Launching a Program and Sustaining Spanish Across the Community
      Tania Saguid and Participating Families, CCPS
      Room 2114
      Bilingual session (Spanish/English)

    • Collaboration with Related Service Providers to provide Tier-1 Language-Based Supports in DLI Classrooms
      Yesenia Cuellar & Holly Fredrickson, BCPS
      Room 2118
      Bilingual session (Spanish/English)

      Connected Classrooms: SEL Activities that Strengthen Content Mastery and Language Acquisition
      Patricio Poblete Cortez, DCPS
      Room 2123
      Bilingual session (Spanish/English)

    • From Scores to Success: Using Language Proficiency Data to Enhance Student Performance
      Dr. Sugely Solano, Brandywine School District
      Room 2124
      English session

    • Estrategias para la comprensión lectora
      Dr. Margarita Rosales, MCPS
      Room 2217
      Spanish session

    • Cultivating Community Through Bilingual Teacher Mentorship Berenice Pernalete, Instituto Mundo Verde
      Room 2242
      English session

  • Information TBA. Facilitators and topics will be finalized the week before the conference.

    *All afternoon sessions located in the Grand Ballroom in the STAMP Building at the University of Maryland.