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August 6, 2014

Today’s spotlight is on Kathleen Leos, Co-Founder and CEO of The Global Institute for Language and Literacy Development (GILD) LLC and a Senior Consultant at Accelify Consulting.

Kathleen Leos is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Global Institute for Language and Literacy Development (GILD) LLC. GILD provides highly specialized professional consultant services to education stakeholders at the private, local, state, and federal level on how to fundamentally transform education systems to meet the Academic Achievement goals of students identified as English and Dual Language Learners.

GILD was founded in 2008 after Ms. Leos’ departure from the U.S. Department of Education, where she served a six year presidential appointment as the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) ESEA, Title III’s Assistant Deputy Secretary (2002-2007). In this role, Ms. Leos was the Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Education on all matters related to Limited English Proficient. In this capacity, Ms. Leos was charged to develop accountability systems for the 5.5 million Limited English Proficient students who attend the nation’s K-12 public, private and charter schools. Her duties included assisting states in developing, implementing and evaluating: new English language proficiency standards, aligned English language proficiency assessments, instructional strategies founded on evidence-based research, and provide information to administrators, teachers and parents how to instruct ELLs in language development and core academic content to meet the State Academic Achievement requirements. Ms. Leos developed a national systemic approach to include ELLs in state accountability systems for the first time for the nation’s K-12 educational institutions. She also authored the Congressional Biennial Reports to Congress to report on the academic progress of ELLs from 2002-2008.

Prior to her term at the U.S. Department of Education, Ms. Leos served 7 years (1995-2002) as a School Board trustee for the Dallas Independent School District. Ms. Leos is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. Among them are the 2005 Mexican American Legal Defense Educational Fund Excellence in Government Service Award, 1995 Texas Women of Spirit Award, the 1996 Velma Schmidt Early Childhood Award, 1996 Advocate of the Year Award, and the 1995 International Altrusa Community Service Award. In 1999, the International Reading Association recognized her efforts to create reading centers in inner city non-English speaking communities. In that same year, the Ford Motor Co. presented Ms. Leos with the Hispanic Salute Award for literacy efforts in the Hispanic community. In 2001, her company, Basic English Inc., won the Laura Bush First Lady Family Literacy Award.

Currently, Ms Leos serves on several boards and commissions in pursuit of academic excellence for English Language Learners and immigrant students: 3-21.