UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

The University of Texas at Tyler Professor Named Officer of National Education Association Group

April 21, 2017

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
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The University of Texas at Tyler
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Oliveras-Ortiz

Dr. Yanira Oliveras-Ortiz has been elected secretary/treasurer for the American Educational Research Association's Supervision and Instructional Leadership Special Interest Group. It is for a two-year term.

Oliveras-Ortiz is an assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies and the Principal Certification Program coordinator at The University of Texas at Tyler. She also serves as the president of The University of Texas at Tyler Innovation Academy Charter School Board and trains Texas principals in the implementation of the new teacher evaluation and support system.

The purpose of the Supervision and Instructional Leadership SIG is to provide a professional forum to those who are involved in current research, theory and practice in the supervision of instruction. Upon her completion of the term in 2019, she will serve as the 2019-21 SIG chair.

"Dr. Oliveras-Ortiz has had a meaningful impact on the preparation of educational leaders during her time at UT Tyler. This position will strengthen and expand her influence," said department chair Dr. Wesley Hickey.

Prior to joining The University of Texas at Tyler, Oliveras-Ortiz spent 20 years in K-12 education where she served as a bilingual teacher, curriculum coordinator and school principal for 10 years. Her research focuses on instructional leadership and the factors that impact school administrators' efforts to serve as instructional supervisors.

She is currently conducting a statewide study on teachers' perceptions about campus administrators' capacity to simultaneously serve as evaluators and supervisors, while exploring the administrators' self-efficacy to serve as supervisors. In addition, she received a University of Texas at Tyler 2017 Crystal Talon Award for her work in establishing the first peer-reviewed online journal, Diversity, Social Justice and the Educational Leader, at the university.

Oliveras-Ortiz holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and supervision.

One of the 14 campuses of the UT System, The University of Texas at Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at The University of Texas at Tyler, which has an enrollment of almost 10,000 high-ability students. The University of Texas at Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.