La Madrina de Bilingual Education with Gladys Barbosa Labas

Join host Pablo Muñoz for a delightful conversation with his featured guest — Gladys Barbosa Labas.

Gladys is an associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies at Southern Connecticut State University.  She previously served as the director of equity and language at the Connecticut Department of Education, supporting school districts in meeting the academic and social-emotional needs of English learners.  Gladys has made a lifelong commitment to bilingual education, where she is known as “La Madrina.”

1:03 - Introduction

2:12 - My Leadership Story

24:10 - La Madrina de Bilingual Education

29:55 - Principal

34:56 - Connecticut Department of Education

38:17 - Latina Leaders

40:09 - Southern Connecticut State University

42:32 - Educational Leadership

44:06 - Guiding Principles

Dr. Gladys Barbosa Labas has five decades of public education experience, including 30 years serving as a teacher and administrator in urban districts, including Meriden, Hartford, and New Britain.  She co-authored the state’s 1978 bilingual education law, making Connecticut the third state in the United States to have such a law, which she also revised in 2015 to better provide English language learners with equal access to curriculum.  Gladys researches, publishes, and teaches on teacher education, leadership, literacy, bilingual program development and implementation, and discourse analysis of bilinguals.

Gladys was appointed as a member of the Connecticut State Board of Education in January 2025.  She has received the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents award for service to the Latino community, the Southern Connecticut State University Outstanding Leadership and Service awards, the Connecticut Association of Schools Principal of the Year award, and the Milken National Leadership award.  Gladys was also recognized with a Lifetime Recognition Award by the Multistate Association for Bilingual Education, Northeast (MABE).

Gladys earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the Universidad de Puerto Rico.  She received a master’s degree in special education and a doctorate in teacher education from the University of Connecticut.  Gladys wrote her doctoral dissertation on the “Stylistic Code-Switching among Puerto Rican Children.”

Website:  southernct.edu/directory/labasg1

Email:  labasg1@southernct.edu

Email:  gladyslabas@gmail.com

Latino Leaders is an award-winning podcast that was named a Silver Winner in the 4th Annual Signal Awards.

Latino Leaders publishes new episodes weekly on Mondays.

Latino Leaders podcast is a production of Muñoz & Company, an educational and leadership consulting organization.

Pablo is a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker who is also the author of The Leader’s Algorithm.

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