Meet Sandra Larios (she/her), English learner and Title I designee and target student population advisor at Sunrise Elementary School. Her commitment to students stems from her own upbringing. Raised in Highland Park, Larios saw familiar experiences in the Sunrise community. She was offered positions at two other schools during her career but chose to remain at Sunrise because of the connection she felt with its students and families.

For 25 years, Sandra Larios has been a valuable and supportive presence at Sunrise Elementary School. After earning her degree and credentials, she began her career at the school as a special education assistant and then as a first-grade teacher. Over the years, she has served as an instructional coach, intervention coordinator, foster and homeless youth liaison, textbook coordinator, and currently serves as the English learner (EL) and Title I designee and target student population advisor. For Larios, the titles matter less than the need. “Where there’s a need, fill a need,” she said.

Today, much of her work focuses on ensuring families have the knowledge and resources to advocate for their children. Larios often reminds parents that they are their children’s “first teachers” and that even simple conversations about what a child learned, who they met, or what they found challenging can help build accountability and connection.

That philosophy extends to Sunrise’s approach to EL and multilingual education. In 2018, the school launched a dual language program, giving students opportunities to develop social and academic skills in both English and Spanish. Initially, some parents worried the program would resemble a stigmatized English-as-a-second-language course and become a barrier to English acquisition. But Larios and her colleagues explained the benefits of a dual language course and how it builds on the language skills students already possess. “As the school district’s Multilingual and Multicultural Education Department calls it, being bilingual is a ‘superpower’,” she shared.

The message resonated. Now, families increasingly see bilingualism as an academic asset. One that can foster pride, expand future opportunities, and support students on their path toward biliteracy.

Larios also believes students should understand their own progress. Through data chats, she helps students examine their English Language Proficiency Assessments for California and Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment results, identify areas of strength, and determine where they need additional support. Rather than simply receiving scores, Larios ensures students learn to ask, “What do I need to work on?” and take greater responsibility for their reclassification goals. She also supports teachers by helping them understand what their EL students need to reclassify and by providing access to professional development opportunities and resources.

Additionally, Sunrise reinforces that mindset through its “I Can, I Will” campaign, which uses daily affirmations to help students build confidence and persevere through challenges. For Larios, seeing a student who once doubted their abilities proudly announce that they had reclassified was a powerful reminder of what can happen when students begin to believe in their own potential. “The shift has been in the pride that they feel,” she added.

This year, Sunrise also gained a Multilingual & Multicultural Academic Language Coach, a long-awaited resource Larios advocated for. The coach provides small-group support to the school’s 65 EL students and monitors students after reclassification, adding capacity and expertise to the school’s existing efforts.

Larios further shared how Partnership for Los Angeles Schools supports Sunrise, especially through its annual Summer Institute and Parent College offerings. She said the meaningful support she receives helps the school with student data analysis, goal-setting, and parent advocacy. One Sunrise parent credits Parent College with helping her guide her daughter toward college, ultimately earning a full-ride scholarship to USC.

For Larios, these moments reinforce a simple belief that when educators equip students and families with knowledge, confidence, and opportunity, they help them see what is possible and give them the tools to get there.