Elba Maldonado-Colon

Dr. Elba Maldonado-Colon is a Professor and former Department Chair in the Department of Elementary Education at San José State University. She holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1984) and has over five decades of experience in education, including teaching, research, and administrative leadership roles. Her work focuses on language and literacy development, particularly for culturally and linguistically diverse students, and addressing equity issues in special education referrals.

Her education includes a BA in Liberal Arts from the University of Puerto Rico (1967), an MA in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1980), and an Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership (1984). She has held licenses in Massachusetts and California for teaching.

Dr. Maldonado-Colon’s research emphasizes bilingual assessment practices, literacy development strategies, and community-based educational models. Key projects include collaborative studies on parental perspectives in bilingual special education, community mapping initiatives, and adaptations of assessment tools for Spanish-speaking populations. She has authored numerous publications on literacy instruction, cultural relevance in curriculum, and the intersection of bilingualism and disability identification.

Her service contributions include leadership roles in academic governance at SJSU, such as Academic Senate Senator (1989-1996, 2004-2008) and Chair of the Campus Planning Board (1999-2001). She has also been active nationally with the Council for Exceptional Children, serving as Vice-President and President of its Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners (1997-2001).

Grants include a U.S. Department of Education-funded study on bilingual special education characteristics (1991-1993) and collaborative projects with the University of Texas and Stanford University. Her work extends to community partnerships through initiatives like the 'Through the Eyes of Children' community mapping project and adaptations of assessment instruments for Spanish speakers.