Jessica Castro-Buelna is a 2024-2026 Teach Plus New Mexico Policy Fellow, and kindergarten teacher, Student Assistance Team lead, and teacher mentor at J. Paul Taylor Academy (JPTA) in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She teaches in an inclusion classroom, incorporating bilingual education, and is a New Mexico Public Education Department Teacher Liaison. In the past, she has been testing coordinator, Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) facilitator, technology leader, and currently is part of the equity council, professional development committee, parent advisory committee (PAC), technology committee, and sunshine committee. Jessica received the J. Paul Taylor Academy Phoenix award (2023-2024). She has taught K-5 and was after-school tutoring math lead through New Mexico State University’s (NMSU) Most Program. She earned her BS in early childhood education with a bilingual endorsement from Western New Mexico University, and MAs in elementary education and educational leadership from Western New Mexico University.
