Marie Tejero Hughes is a Professor in Special Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago , focusing on graduate literacy instruction for educators in urban communities. Her work centers on comprehension strategies for culturally/linguistically diverse students and Latino family engagement . PhD in Reading and Learning Disabilities MSEd in Elementary Education BSEd in Early Childhood/Elementary Education Her research examines: Spanish literacy interventions for English learners Teacher leadership in special education MTSS/PBIS implementation in high-need schools Latinx family perspectives on autism education Coaching models for literacy development Recent publications highlight: Teacher leadership frameworks Bilingual literacy outcomes Latinx family expertise in math education Parent training programs in Colombia Technology-enhanced play interactions She has directed multiple US Department of Education grants focused on special education teacher recruitment and retention, and frequently collaborates with Colombian researchers on autism family support systems.










