Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Biography

Dr. Maria Lucero has spent the last 23 years working in school settings with diverse student populations. For ten years, she proudly served the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary community as assistant principal and principal in the Yakima School District. Maria has served as an executive director in the Teaching and Learning department for the past two years, supporting instructional leadership and multilingual programs.
Dr. Lucero graduated from Wapato High School and started her professional career in her home community. Maria’s experience as a paraeducator, bilingual and general education teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, principal, and executive director has prepared her for this new professional opportunity as a continued team member in teaching and learning.

Dr. Lucero earned a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Washington. Maria’s master’s degree - specializing in Bilingual Education - is from the Central Washington University, where she completed her undergraduate work. Maria’s passion centers on building systems that create equitable access and improve outcomes for all children. She remains committed to supporting our YSD Professional Learning Community journey and is proud of the work that has been accomplished by school teams.

Outside of her professional career in education, Maria enjoys running, cycling, and traveling with her family. She is the proud mother of four children: Andy, Crystal, Kyoko, and Janelle. Her husband, Andy, a financial advisor based in Yakima and a retired Marine, has been a steadfast source of support as she transitions into this new role.