Understood Teacher Fellow Juliana Urtubey

Juliana Urtubey is the 2021 National Teacher of the Year. She is an educator at Booker Elementary School in Las Vegas where she co-teaches in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade special education settings. She also serves as an instructional strategist developing schoolwide multi-tiered systems of supports (MTSS) for academic, social-emotional, and behavioral interventions. During her 10 years as an educator, she has also been a special education teacher at Crestwood Elementary School in Las Vegas.

Juliana is a National Board Certified Teacher. She holds a BA in elementary education with bilingual education certification and an MA in bilingual special education, both from the University of Arizona. 

Juliana was a member of the inaugural class of Understood Teacher Fellows in 2018–2019. She continues to serve as a Mentor Fellow to other teachers in the fellowship program — guiding them on their own journeys to support students who learn and think differently.

She is a valued contributor to Understood’s resources for educators and families, particularly by sharing her expertise on building relationships with families of students who learn and think differently.

To read and learn more about Juliana’s work, visit these resources:

• English language learners in special education: 4 things to know about partnering with families

• La importancia de que las familias hispanas participen en la educación de sus hijos 

• This back-to-school season, Understood is supporting family-educator relationships

• “Going through struggles together”: Family connections in tough times 

• Supporting Latinx families in special education decisions (Understood Teacher Fellowship capstone project)