October 2025 • Issue 96 • California Association for Bilingual Education

Upcoming CABE Dates and Deadlines in this Issue...

• October 4—CABE + Count Play Explore: Launch, Learn, and Cultivate Math Mindsets
• October 7 and 21—Virtual Counselor Series, Modules 3 & 4
• October 27—Deadline to submit CABE 2026 Commercial Workshop Proposals
• October 30—Deadline to submit ads for the 2026 Multilingual Educator magazine
• November 7—Thrive 2025: Fall One-Day Virtual Conference for educators & parents
• March 4-7, 2026—Save the date for CABE 2026 in San Francisco!

CABE Legislative Advocate Report

by Jennifer Baker

• Legislature Adjourns Session
• Senate Pro Tempore to Transition in November
• CABE-Supported Legislation
• Legislative Calendar

Elizabeth Orozco, the youngest of four siblings, grew up in Córdoba, Veracruz, México, in a family that blended Italian and Mexican heritage. Her Bis Nonni (grandfather) was one of the founders of the Italian community of Colonia Manuel González. While her great-grandparents spoke Talian, a dialect of Italian, they chose not to pass the language on to their children as they adapted to life in Mexico—something Elizabeth regrets today, as she has a deep interest in learning Italian as part of her heritage.

 Her father, a first-generation Italian Mexican, owned a transportation company, and her mother was a full-time homemaker. Her parents placed a strong value on education and enrolled their children in the best private schools in their hometown. Elizabeth attended a bilingual Catholic girls’ school where her parents actively served as school presidents, modeling parent leadership in education. Inspired by this example, she began volunteering at Encuentros Juveniles, where she organized workshops and retreats for youth, experiences that helped her discover her own leadership voice. 

In Mexico, Elizabeth earned a B.A. in Business Administration and held various roles, including administrative assistant, sales manager, general manager, and legal representative, for different companies. At the age of 28, Elizabeth met her future husband online. After several international visits and after meeting in person for just nine days and a year of online conversations, they were married. She moved to live in Tijuana for three years and later to Perris, CA. She stepped away from professional work to focus on raising their two children, while continuing to be active as a parent leader and supervision aide at their school. When her daughter was in second grade and her son was in fifth grade—having just been reclassified as English proficient—Elizabeth was invited to participate in CABE’s Project 2INSPIRE. She recalls, “I fell in love with Project 2INSPIRE! It was like magic! I learned so much about this educational system that I hadn’t been previously aware of. As my children were both English learners, I understood the importance of the EL program and wanted to do more for the other parents at the school.” Her CABE mentor and trainer soon encouraged her to join the program as a part-time specialist. “She asked me, ‘Can you see yourself teaching other parents?’ and my answer was an enthusiastic ‘Yes!” 

Through her work with CABE, Elizabeth discovered a passion for teaching and public speaking that she had never considered before. She recently celebrated a major milestone in earning her preliminary clear California teaching credential, a testament to her commitment to learning and leadership. After six years of part-time service, she joined the team full-time through CABE’s work with the statewide Community Engagement Initiative. When asked what motivates her, Elizabeth explained, “I believe in the transformation of our school system through our families and their expertise. There’s a powerful ripple effect when the parents that I train go on to train other parents as leaders. That’s when the magic comes full circle.” She often reminds parents that while their primary goal is to guide their children toward their dreams, the true journey begins when they recognize and pursue their own dreams as well. She always says that we came to this world to inspire and be inspired 

Outside of work, Elizabeth cherishes time with her husband, Eloy, a Senior Systems Engineer, and their two children. Jorge Julián (21) is studying to become an aerospace engineer and is in the process of transferring to Caltech Pomona while taking pilot lessons. Savannah Elay (18) is a sophomore at UC Riverside, majoring in financial business and English. The family shares their home with two pets: Hemi, a Chihuahua mix, and Ludo, a Maine Coon cat. Elizabeth finds balance through her love of the outdoors—whether spending time at the beach, hiking with her family, or enjoying her daily 20-mile bike rides that she calls her “me time.” Looking ahead, she hopes to continue studying French and fulfill her dream of finally learning Italian, a language that ties her more deeply to her roots. 

Here are two articles featuring CABE Pepperdine...

Selected reviewers will evaluate the publisher and content developers submitted instructional materials programs for alignment to the California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects and the California English Language Development Standards. 

Reviewers will be trained to utilize the Guidance to support the adoption and implementation of ELA/ELD instructional materials, approved by the SBE in November 2025, as well as grade-level standards maps and evaluation criteria map that were approved by the SBE in 2015.

Important Meeting Dates

• April 28–May 1, 2026 (Reviewers must attend all four days)

Reviewer training held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Sacramento

• May–July 2026

Independent review of submitted instructional material programs

• Applicants should plan to be available the weeks of July 20–24 or July 27–31, 2026, for Deliberations (Reviewers must attend all four days of their assigned week)

Reconvene in panels for deliberations and the preparation of a Report of Findings

The CDE will reimburse travel costs for all reviewers for the meeting days. Reviewers will receive a $100 stipend per day for full participation in the four days of reviewer training in April–May 2026 and the four days of deliberations in July 2026.

Information about this follow-up adoption and relevant reviewer information is available on the ELA/ELD Instructional Materials web page: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/im/index.asp

The deadline for submission of applications is October 30, 2025. Please forward this information to all qualified candidates who might be interested. Any questions related to this review should be directed to Kyle Petty, Lead Consultant, at kpetty@cde.ca.gov.

Lincoln Park Festival:

A Celebration of

Women in Theatre

Experience an unforgettable cultural event at the Lincoln Park Festival, where the power of storytelling takes center stage. This dynamic festival brings together major performances, stage readings, and micro theatre—all crafted by talented playwrights who are shaping the future of theatre.

Audiences will enjoy a diverse lineup of compelling works, from full-scale productions to intimate staged readings and experimental micro theatre performances. Each piece explores unique perspectives, amplifying the voices of women in the arts and offering fresh, thought-provoking narratives.

Join us for a festival filled with inspiration, creativity, and groundbreaking performances—all set in the heart of Lincoln Park. Whether you're a theater enthusiast, an artist, or a supporter of inspirational storytelling, this event promises to be a celebration of talent, diversity, and innovation.

Website: www.bfatheatre.org Instagram: @bfa_theatre Facebook: BFA Theatre TikTok: @bfa.theatre

Contact the editor: Laurie Miles, Communications Manager, laurie@gocabe.org