About me
Dr. Rocio del Castillo-Perez began her career as a school psychologist in Peru and has devoted her professional life to advancing educational equity and social justice. With more than 25 years of experience across public and private school systems, she has led and supported special education, bilingual, and dual language programs with excellence. She currently serves as an Assistant Superintendent in a large unit district in Northwest Illinois and as an adjunct professor.
A fourth-generation educator, she is deeply committed to the transformative power of education and to fostering culturally and linguistically responsive learning environments. A published author and thought leader, Dr. del Castillo-Perez co-authored Teaching Reading in Spanish: A Linguistically Authentic Framework for Emerging Multilinguals and contributed to The New Teacher’s Guide to Ten Common Challenges. She has also written for Education Week, Teaching Young Children, and ILASCD Magazine, and co-authored Mosaico for i-Ready, a foundational Spanish-language literacy program for Grades K–2.
A respected voice in the field, she has presented on numerous professional platforms, sharing insights on culturally relevant education, multilingualism, and leadership development. Her mission is to help educators and districts build systems that honor students’ linguistic and cultural identities. As the Founder of Via Educational Consulting, Dr. del Castillo-Perez provides dual language technical assistance and professional development to schools and districts nationwide.
She proudly serves on the board of the Illinois Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (IALAS), advocating for leadership diversity and equitable education policies. Originally from Lima, Peru, Rocio embraces her heritage and immigration story with pride. She lives in Crystal Lake, Illinois, with her husband Joel and their two spoiled pit bulls, Canelo and Bruno. Her children, Nicolas and Isabella, are both in college—Nicolas studying education to become the fifth-generation teacher in the family, and Isabella majoring in theater management as the artistic soul of the household.
