Elmer Castro

Affiliation

ESC20

Biography

Elmer Castro is an educational leader with over a decade of experience advancing equitable practices for multilingual and gifted learners. As the Lead GT Facilitator in East Central ISD (San Antonio, Texas), he coordinated district-wide initiatives that integrate curriculum enrichment, data-driven student identification, and robust professional development for teachers serving G/T and emergent bilingual students. Elmer’s career began in dual language classrooms, where he developed expertise in second language acquisition and biliteracy strategies across grades 2–5. His leadership roles include serving as campus lead bilingual teacher, new teacher mentor, and coordinator for innovative programs such as the Superstar Summer Camp, which combines family engagement with dual language enrichment. Recognized by his district for “Service Above and Beyond the Call of Duty” and contributions to curriculum and diversity initiatives, Elmer continues to champion innovative instructional models that bridge language, culture, and advanced academics. A graduate of Sul Ross State University with a BA in History and an M.Ed., Elmer is passionate about leveraging emerging technologies to empower multilingual learners and build culturally sustaining classrooms.