Maria Paredes (she/her) serves as a Technical Assistance Provider for the California Center for School Climate.

Maria is a Senior Engagement Manager at WestEd in the Quality Schools and Districts content area. Maria developed the Academic Parent Teacher Teams (APTT), a strengths-based model of family engagement designed to strengthen the capacity of teachers and families and transform family participation in their children’s education. This model has been adopted by over 2,000 schools in 26 states and has been the subject of multiple studies asserting the positive outcomes for students, families, and schools. She has partnered with state departments, districts, and schools to support program development, professional learning, and integration of effective family engagement practices into all areas of school improvement. Her areas of expertise include family and community engagement; organizational development; needs assessments; and design of high-impact family engagement programs for state departments, districts, and schools.