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Mission

Through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University will meet the need to increase the number of TESOL-endorsed professionals in SW Ohio, especially those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, through a Grow-Our-Own program known as ¡PELEA! Fight (Preparing English Learner Educational Allies).

Financial support, educational, and professional support will be provided for participants to pursue the required curriculum. In doing so, PELEA will equip paraprofessionals, inservice, and preservice teachers with skills, strategies, and dispositions to improve instruction for ELs, including trauma responsive strategies needed for the growing population of Students with Limited and Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE). Mutual mentorship within a Community of Practice will capitalize on members’ cultural capacity to relate to and effectively support learning for each other, EL students, and their families.

Advisory Board Members

• Martha Castañeda - PI/Co-Author (EDT)
• Robin Schell - Project Director/Co-Author (EDT)
• Matthew Siegel - Curriculum Coordinator (EDT)
• Veronica Barrios - Trauma-Responsive Strategies Coordinator (FSW)
• Racheal Rothrock - Family Literacy Engagement Coordinator (EDT)
• Darrel R. Davis - HyFlex Model Coordinator (EDP)
• Brian Schultz - Administrator Liaison (EDT)
• Sara Hayes - Project Coordinator (Discovery Center)
• Mireika ‘Marie’ Kobayashi - District Liaison (CPS)
• Andrew Phillips - District Liaison (HCESC)
• Sarah Woodruff, Yue Li, and Maressa Dixon -  External Evaluator team (Discovery Center)
• Parent from Cincinnati Public Schools (TBA)

Program curriculum

• Foreign Language Licensure + TESOL Endorsement link 
  • 4 year program calendar (Insert monthly calendars or a link to calendars from August 2022 - June 2026 on this page)
  • 3 year program (Insert monthly calendars or a link to calendars from August 2023 - June 2026 on this page)
• SEOH Licensure + TESOL Endorsement link
  • 4 year program calendar (Insert monthly calendars or a link to calendars from August 2022 - May 2026
  • 3 year program calendar (Insert monthly calendars or a link to calendars from August 2022 - June 2025

Calendar: (One for each cohort with the following months/years:

• Undergraduate TESOL endorsement (August 2022 -
• Graduate TESOL endorsement only (May 2022 -
• Foreign Language Licensure + TESOL endorsement (
• SEOH Licensure + TESOL endorsement (