Mariana Castro

Mariana Castro is the Deputy Director of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education. She holds over 25 years of experience in education, specializing in curriculum design, teacher preparation, and professional learning. Her work integrates social justice principles with multilingual education advocacy.

Castro has led roles at WIDA since 2006, including coordinating professional development, managing standards initiatives, and researching language development. She co-developed bilingual and English language learner standards for early childhood and K-12 education. Her current roles also include curriculum design and instruction for The Discussion Project.

Her research focuses on multilingual learners, translanguaging practices, and equitable educational access. Key themes in her work include culturally responsive pedagogy, teacher resilience, and leveraging technology for STEM education.

Her publications explore topics like formative language assessment, pandemic-era teacher collaboration, and dual-language program outcomes. While no formal awards are listed, her extensive contributions to bilingual education policy and practice are widely recognized.

No advising or grant details are provided, though her work at WCER and WIDA involves collaborative research projects. She is affiliated with the WCER research team and The Discussion Project's instructional initiatives.