Imelda Basurto

Imelda Basurto serves as Professor and Department Chair of the Literacy, Early, Bilingual and Special Education Department at California State University, Fresno's Kremen School of Education and Human Development. Her leadership roles include:

• Coordinator of the Single Subject Teaching Credential Program
• Coordinator of the Master of Arts in Education (Reading/Language Arts option), ranked among Best Colleges' top 20 Best Online Master's programs
• CSU State Faculty Representative for the Chancellor’s Center for the Advancement of Reading/Writing
• Former Chair of Educational Equity Committee and Academic Senate member

Education: Ph.D. in Multicultural Education & Childhood Education from the University of New Mexico.

Dr. Basurto's research centers on middle school literacies, reading instruction, and transformative pedagogies with emphasis on English Language Learners and technology-impacted literacy practices. Her work bridges critical pedagogy with practical classroom applications, focusing on social justice and equity in literacy education. She actively investigates how emerging technologies reshape literacy acquisition and teaching methodologies.

Her publications demonstrate consistent focus on practical literacy strategies for diverse learners, particularly examining critical pedagogy frameworks for ELL students and innovative language arts instruction methods. The research trajectory reveals deep commitment to teacher preparation and socially responsive literacy education.

Program Leadership: Spearheaded the development of Fresno State's online Master's in Reading/Language Arts program to national recognition as a top 20 online program by Best Colleges.

Dr. Basurto teaches comprehensive literacy coursework including Literacy Foundations (TK-8), Language and Literacy Development, Reading in Social Studies/Content Areas, and Supervised Teaching in Reading/Language Arts, preparing educators for diverse classroom settings.