Area of Expertise
Reading and Language Arts; Special Ed Parent
Degrees/Certifications
B.S. Design, UC Davis; Teaching Credential, University of the Pacific; Masters in Reading, Benedictine University, Chicago
Volunteer Experience
Administer Online Autism Support Group for 1200 families, teach adaptive sacrament class at church, lead small mutual aid group
Biography
Irene Valdez is a highly accomplished educational professional with a career spanning decades as an Educational Consultant, Instructional Coach, and Elementary Teacher, primarily within the Stockton Unified School District. She is recognized for her dedication to educational excellence and her unique background in special education advocacy.
Ms. Valdez’s academic foundation includes an M.Ed. in Reading and Literacy from Benedictine University and a B.S. in Design from the University of California, Davis. She earned her California Teaching Credential from the University of the Pacific and holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and a Language Development Specialist Credential.
Her professional experience includes her current role as an Educational Consultant with CORE Learning, where she provides critical support to schools through in-person and remote classroom coaching, lesson modeling, observations, and executive coaching for school leaders. Before this, she served for over two decades in the Stockton Unified School District as an Instructional Coach and an Elementary Teacher.
Ms. Valdez possesses specialized knowledge in Disability Rights Advocacy, stemming from her familiarity with California law on Special Education and Disability Rights from a Family Advocate perspective. This unique insight comes from her experience as a Governor Appointee to the California State Council for the Developmentally Disabled. She is also deeply involved in community leadership, actively administering an online Autism Support Group (over 1,200 families), volunteering at her church to instruct an adaptive sacrament class, and leading a small mutual aid group.
She is married with two adult sons with autism.
