ANAYA BECOMES MIGRANT EDUCATION DIRECTOR

Dr. Alfonso R. Anaya began full-time work as the State Director for Migrant and Bilingual Programs on April 18, and immediately began traveling the state, becoming familiar with migrant education staff and programs.

Anaya has been a classroom teacher, a bilingual program director, a principal, and a superintendent – most recently serving as superintendent of schools for the Alum Rock School District, San José, Calif.  For six years Anaya served on the board of directors of the California Latino Superintendents’ Association and as its president, 2002-2004.  He was a member of the board of directors for the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), 1999-2001.

In his interview Anaya described the potential of working in Washington state as “coming full cycle.”  As a young son in a migrant family of farm workers, he picked apples in the Yakima Valley.

In his letter of application for the position, Anaya wrote, “I understand that successful organizations cannot exist without effective long-term planning and a way to deliver information to staff and community.  However, planning cannot occur in isolation, and information that does not include stakeholder input will not lead to confidence and commitment towards organizational goals. Consequently, I am committed to an administrative style that is hands on, collaborative and shared.”

Anaya earned his bachelor’s degree in 1974 and his teaching credential in 1975 from the University of California, Davis.  By 1985 he had earned both his master’s degree in educational administration and his administrative credential from California State University in Sacramento.  His doctoral degree was conferred by the University of San Francisco in 1996.