Dr. Drew S. Fagan is an internationally distinguished, multi-award winning scholar, educator, and advocate for multilingual learners and all stakeholders connected to these learners' success. Having been in the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) field for more than 20 years, his professional philosophy is that for multilingual learners to be successful, all stakeholders connected to these learners must come out of their siloes and collaborate. As such, he ensures that all of his work connects with higher education and P-12 academes across disciplines, departments and ministries of education, state- and federal-level policy makers, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.
Currently, he is Clinical Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education, Director of the Ed.D. in School System Leadership Program- TESOL and Dual Language Education Specialization, and Coordinator of the TESOL Teacher Leadership M.Ed. and TESOL Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs. Prior to this, he worked as an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher and teacher educator in PreK-12, higher education, and adult education settings across the United States, Japan, China, Spain, and Mexico, and was the first English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Fulbright Fellow to the Slovak Republic.
He has authored numerous publications in language learning, applied linguistics, and education peer-reviewed research and practitioner-oriented journals and edited books, as well as reports and monographs with professional associations and state departments of education. He is the co-author the Maryland TESOL Handbook for Educators of English Learners and A Guide to School for Families of English Learners (English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish). Presently, Dr. Fagan is Co-PI for the inter-institutional Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity (MILE) Grand Challenges Grant, which brings together specialists from education, speech pathology, library sciences, linguistics and languages, and public policy to ensure that all students regardless of background and lived experiences have equitable opportunities for literacy education at all stages of their lives (early childhood through adult).
Outside of university collaborations, Dr. Fagan works closely with many professional entities. He is an invited member of the Institute of International Education's (IIE) National Screening Committee for the U.S. Student Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program for Central and Eastern Europe (2024-2027). In March 2025, he will begin his elected three-year term as a member of the TESOL International Association's Board of Directors. Prior, he was the 2022-2023 President of the Maryland TESOL Association, during which he established the first-ever state-wide Maryland TESOL Mentorship Program. Dr. Fagan also collaborates with policymakers in the Maryland Legislature, the Maryland State Department of Education, and the Maryland Higher Education Commission to enact change for laws, teacher certification policies, public school assessment and accountability standards, and higher education programming related to multilingual learners' equitable access to education.
(Awards & Honors since being at the University of Maryland; contact me for anything prior)
2023- Distinguished Alumni Early Career Award- Teachers College, Columbia University
(additional University of Maryland Press Release)
2023- Teacher of the Year- TESOL International Association & National Geographic Learning
(additional University of Maryland Press Release, San Diego State University Alum Press Release)
2022- Excellence in Teaching Award- University of Maryland, College of Education
2018- Provost's Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty for Service- University of Maryland, Provost Office
2017- Distinguished Outreach/Partnership Award- University of Maryland, College of Education
TESOL INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
1. Elected Member, Board of Directors (2025-2028)
2. Coordinator & Chair- Opening Workshop Session for TESOL Advocacy Action Days (2024)
3. Coordinator & Chair- LGBT PLN Convention Session (2024)
4. Focus Group Member and Invited Reviewer, TESOL Research Directions 2023-2027
MARYLAND TESOL ASSOCIATION
1. Offices Held
Immediate Past-President (2023-2024)
**President (2022-2023)**
First Vice President (2021-2022)
Second Vice President (2020-2021)
Chair, Teacher Education Interest Section (2019-2020)
Chair-Elect, Teacher Education Interest Section (2018-2019)
2. Co-Developer and Inaugural Board Liaison (2022-present ): Maryland TESOL Association Mentorship Program
3. Board Liaison (2022-2023): Maryland TESOL 2023-2026 Strategic Plan Committee
4. Chair- 2021 Maryland TESOL Association Conference- Theme: Breaking Through, Pushing Forward Together
MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (all positions invited directly by the State Superintendent)
1. Multilingual Learner Education Lead, Accountability and Assessment Task Force (2024-present)
2. Higher Education Representative, Language Access Policy for Families and Community Engagement Development Committee (2023-2024)
3. Lead English Learner Advocate, Blueprint for Maryland's Future- Workgroup on English Learners in Public Schools (2021-2022)
4. English Learner Stakeholder Representative, Maryland American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund Application Stakeholder Engagement Committee (2020-2021)
5. English Learner Education Advisor, Maryland Together: Maryland's Recovery Plan for Education COVID-19 Response and the Path Forward Committee (2020)
6. English Learner Education Advisor, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plan External Stakeholders Committee (2016-2019)
CONFERENCE/CONVENTION KEYNOTE SPEAKER
(these are main keynotes only; for a complete list of all invited/professional guest speaker talks, see "Publications" section below)
Black Sea Educational Research Congress
Keynote- 2024 Conference
TESOL International Association
Opening Keynote- 2024 Virtual Convention
Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy
Conference Keynote- 2024 Conference
New York State TESOL Association
Conference Keynote- 2016 Applied Linguistics Winter Conference
Washington English Center
Conference Keynote- 2014 Spring Conference
**NOTE: Given the diverse clinical work and stakeholders I collaborate with, this section includes varied forms of scholarship production: Selected Presentations (2024-present), Selected Publications as Author (2022-present), Selected Publications as Contributor/Consultant/Advisor (2022-present), Interviews (2023-present), Government Testimony (2023-present).**
Fagan, D.S. (Chair), Kanney, M., Wimbush, C., Lee, J., Wilson, A., & Hintz, S. (accepted- 2025, March). Straight from the source: K-12 administrators' journeys as TESOL students [Refereed Panel]. TESOL International Association Convention. Long Beach, CA.
Giraldez, R. (Moderator), Bryan, K.C., de Oliviera, L., David, R.D., Fagan, D.S., Ross, A., & Trinh, E. (confirmed- 2025, March). Intersectional identities within and beyond TESOL [Invited Intersection Panel- Program Administration and Supporting Students with Disabilities]. TESOL International Association Convention. Long Beach, CA.
Hauber-Özer, M. (Moderator), Mua Mbi, M., Bliss, B., & Fagan, D.S. (confirmed- 2025, March). Migration policy and English learners [Invited Intersection Panel- Adult Education and Social Responsibility and Refugee Concerns]. TESOL International Association Convention. Long Beach, CA.
Rashed, D., Fagan, D.S., Suarez, D., Bai, Y., Moser, A., & Johnson, Z. (confirmed- 2025, February). In their own voices: Mentor-mentee growth in the Maryland TESOL mentorship program [Invited Panel]. TESOL International Association’s Teacher Education Interest Section Fall Webinar Series. Virtual.
Rashed, D., Fagan, D.S., & Suarez, D. (2024, December). Connecting diverse stakeholders: A mentorship program outside of the box [Invited Presentation]. TESOL International Association’s Teacher Education Interest Section Fall Webinar Series. Virtual.
Fagan, D.S., Wilkins, C.A., & Friedman, L. (2024, December). Balancing workload/life balance as a PTK faculty [Invited Presentation]. University of Maryland's ADVANCE Early Career PTK Faculty Peer Network Series. College Park, MD.
Fagan, D.S. (Chair), Silverman Andrews, O., Masri, L., Barnhardt, S., Gómez, M., Abaraca, M., Yongue, A., Gonzales, R., & Orbe, Jr., C. (2024, November). ELT educators as advocates in state-level policymaking: The Case of Maryland’s CALL Act. [Invited Panel]. Maryland TESOL Association Fall Conference. Towson, MD. https://marylandtesol.com/fall-conference
Fagan, D.S. (2024, October). Moving beyond our sphere of expertise: Interdisciplinary collaborations and student achievement enhancement [Keynote]. Inaugural Black Sea Educational Research Congress (BERC). Sinop, Türkiye. https://keak.sinop.edu.tr/home/
Fagan, D.S. (2024, September). Linking language acquisition to law creation: The passage of Maryland’s 2024 Credit for All Language Learning Act [Invited Presentation]. University of Maryland’s Annual Language Science Day. College Park, MD. https://languagescience.umd.edu/lsd2024
Fagan, D.S. (2024, August). Intersecting teaching, research, and policymaking in TESOL: A practical approach [Invited Presentation]. Presented for Georgia TESOL's (GATESOL) Dr. Elizabeth Webb Professional Learning Series. Virtual. https://georgiatesol.wildapricot.org/event-5817064
Fagan, D.S. (Chair & Moderator), Silverman Andrews, O., Abarca, M., Yongue, A., Gómez, M., Gonzales, R., Masri, L., Barnhardt, S., Thuta, F., & Orbe Jr., C. (2024, July). Equal credit for equal work: Delving into the development, advocacy and passage of Maryland's Credit for All Language Learning Act [Invited Panel]. TESOL International Association's Advocacy Action Days. Alexandria, VA, United States. https://www.tesol.org/media/0icdgm4f/call-act-panelists.pdf
Fagan, D.S. (Chair). (2024, June). Preparing school and district leadership to advocate for and support dual language education [Invited Roundtable]. Inaugural Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity Dual Language Educator Conference. College Park, MD, United States. . https://www.mile.umd.edu/news/inaugural-dual-language-educator-conference
Fagan, D.S. (Invited) (2024, May). Maryland’s new multilingual learner programming policies: Ramifications on local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and school district leadership development [Invited Presentation]. University of Maryland College of Education Educator Preparation and Assessment Annual Retreat. Virtual. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ugm5SwgUs_kB9oK-fgRDriOchvEtkqNW/edit
Fagan, D.S. (Invited). (2024, May). The complex interweaving of family capital and the language learning process for P-12 multilingual learners [Invited Lecture]. University of Delaware TESOL Graduate Program Forum. Virtual.
Fagan, D.S. (2024, April). Equity-driven leadership in TESOL: Reconciling perception, expectation, and need [Keynote]. TESOL International Association Convention. Virtual. https://www.tesol.org/virtual/keynotes/
Lazaris, B., Fagan, D.S., Espinoza, J.J., Mendoza, G., Hong, S., & Newman, K. (2024, April). The role of teacher associations [Invited Panel]. TESOL International Association Convention. Virtual. https://www.tesol.org/virtual/programs/
Fagan, D.S. (Chair), de Jong, E., Valle, R., Winkle, C., Trinh, E., Gomez Portillo, M., & Hakemian, J. (2024, March). Queerness in positions of TESOL leadership; Rights, roles, & responsibilities [Invited Panel]. TESOL International Association Convention- LGBT PLN Session. Tampa, FL, United States.
Kuttig, K.-D. (Chair), Fagan., D.S., Trinh, E., Pawan, F., Rashed, D., & Phung, L. (2024, March). REAPing directions in TESOL: Recognition, empowerment, action, and pursuit [Invited Panel]. TESOL International Association Convention. Tampa, FL, United States.
Rashed, D. & Fagan, D.S. (Co-Chairs), Bai, Y., Growney, L., Siebold, C., & Siemer, D. (2024, March). Exploring dynamic mentor-mentee growth in a TESOL affiliate mentoring program [Refereed Panel]. TESOL International Association Convention. Tampa, FL, United States.
Fagan, D.S., Rashed, D., & Suarez, D. (2024, March). Maryland TESOL's mentorship program: Connecting the otherwise unconnected [Invited Presentation]. TESOL International Association Convention- Leadership Forum. Tampa, FL, United States.
Fagan, D.S. (2024, March). Reflection, adaptation, and collaboration: Navigating your teaching journey [Keynote]. Montgomery County Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL) Biannual Conference. Germantown, MD, Maryland, United States. https://www.mcael.org/mcaelprofessionaldevelopmentconference
Walker, M., Lewis, S., Fagan, D.S., Moody, E., & Nguyen, N. (2024, March). Capturing professional track (PTK) achievements in faculty reporting and merit processes [Invited Panel]. University of Maryland Professional Track Faculty Symposium. College Park, MD, United States. https://faculty.umd.edu/node/591
Fagan, D.S., & Kanney, M. (2024, February). Building teacher capacity from already existing teacher populations through mutually equitable IHE-LEA partnerships [Invited Roundtable]. Inaugural University of Maryland Teacher Education Summit. College Park, MD, United States. https://education.umd.edu/academics/departments/tlpl/maryland-teacher-education-summit-2024
Pentón Herrera, L., Fagan, D.S., & Lyons, S. (Eds.). (forthcoming). Language teacher associations, professional development, and learning across spaces [Special issue]. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching.
Fagan, D.S. (2024, Spring). An era of rapid educational changes for Maryland's P-12 multilingual learners: 2018-2024 and beyond. Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com.
Gómez, M., Fagan, D.S., & Baptista, G. (2024, February 29). Educators call for social justice for Maryland's multilingual learners [Editorial]. Maryland Matters. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/02/29/commentary-educators-call-for-social-justice-for-marylands-multilingual-learners/.
Fagan, D.S. (2023). Words of wisdom. The University Grapevine: For English Language Teachers, 18. https://www.theuniversitygrapevine.com/past-issues.
Fagan, D.S. (2023, June). Expanding my community of "learning collaborators" at the TESOL Convention. TEIS: The Newsletter for the TESOL International Association Teacher Education Interest Section. https://tcnewsletter.s3.amazonaws.com/newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolc/issues/2023-04-01/3.html
Fagan, D.S. (2023, Spring). President's Letter- Maryland TESOL: At the precipice for moving the field into tomorrow. Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2023, Spring). Maryland TESOL: A success at the TESOL International Conference! Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2023, Winter). President's Letter: Let Maryland TESOL help get you into your rhythm for 2023! Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2022, Fall). President's Letter: "Fall" into advocacy. Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2022, Summer). President's Letter: An exciting new year ahead! Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S., & Pentón Herrera, L.J. (2022). Supporting English learners with disabilities. The State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 22(1), 26-31. https://www.nasbe.org/supporting-english-learners-with-disabilities/
Fagan, D.S. (2022, Spring). A state of change: The future for Maryland’s English learners. Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2022, Winter). “Breaking Through, Pushing Forward Together”: Celebrating Maryland TESOL’s 41st Annual Fall Conference. Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Maryland State Department of Education (forthcoming- 2024). Language access policy for family and community engagement.
In collaboration with the office of Maryland House Delegate Lorig Charkoudian (with S. Gutierrez, M. Martin-Beltrán, A. Perez Belda, A. Taboada Barber) (2023). Maryland House Bill 56: Public Schools- Dual Language Education- Teacher Certification, Program Implementation, and Study.
Maryland State Department of Education. (2022). Blueprint for Maryland's Future: Workgroup on English learners in public schools final report.
"Building a Better Future for Maryland's Students" (Emily Schuster, Interviewer). University of Maryland, College of Education News, September 2024.
"EdTerps advocate for education policy in Annapolis." (Emily Schuster & Maison Holcomb, Interviewers). University of Maryland, College of Education News, April 2024.
"Academia willing to help with Blueprint education reform plan." (William J. Ford, Interviewer). Maryland Matters, April 11, 2024. Republished in The Southern Maryland Chronicle and MoCo360.
"We are more than language specialists! Associate clinical professor and TESOL program coordinator honored for his work with multilingual learners." (Natifia Mullings, Interviewer). University of Maryland, College of Education News, November 2023.
"Spotlight on the TESOL Teacher of the Year: Drew S. Fagan." (Luan T. Nguyen, Interviewer). TESOL Connections: The E-Newsletter for the TESOL International Association, April 2023.
"TESOL Program Coordinator to Receive Top Teaching Honor for English Language Educators." (Emily Schuster, Interviewer). University of Maryland, College of Education News, February 2023.
"More Connected than Ever: Taking Advantage of Global ELT Associations' Online Offerings." (Sheilynn Riel, Interviewer). BridgeUniverse E-Magazine, February 2023.
"College of Education Experts Testify to bring Bilingual Teacher Certification to Maryland." (Natifia Mullings, Interviewer). University of Maryland, College of Education News, February 2023.
Maryland House Bill 0569: Credit for All Language Learning (CALL) Act (Sponsored by Delegate Jared Solomon). Testified on February 13, 2024. **BILL SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR MOORE APRIL 25, 2024.**
Maryland House Bill 0056: Dual Language Education Teacher Certification, Program Implementation, and Study (Sponsored by Delegate Lorig Charkoudian). Testified on January 23, 2023.
Current Grants:
University of Maryland Grand Challenges Institutional Grant
Title: The Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity (MILE)
PIs: DJ Bolger
Amount Awarded: $3,000,00.00
Period of Grant: March 1, 2023- February 28, 2026
My Role: Co-PI
National Science Foundation 20-539: Computer Science for All
Title: C-STEM for Sustainability: Leveraging a Research-Practice Partnership to Design a High-quality Professional Learning Model for Integrating Computer Science into K-8 STEM Classrooms
PIs: Jennifer Radoff & Amy Green
Amount Awarded: $721,534.00
Period of Grant: September 1, 2022- August 31, 2025
My Role: Advisory Board Member- English Learner Education
Current Projects:
1. Developer (final approval 2021 from Maryland Higher Education Commission) and Director (2022-2032)- Doctorate of Education Program in School Systems Leadership- Specialization in TESOL and Dual Language Education (cohort 1 begins Fall 2022): Focuses on school- and district-level administrators to address and make school system change for multilingual learners from the "top-down".
2. Developer (final approval 2015 from Maryland Higher Education Commission) and Director (2017-present)- TESOL Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program (Prince George's County Public School Teachers 2017-2024; Anne Arundel County Public School Teachers 2018-2023): Introduces non-ESOL PreK-12 teachers to working with English learners across disciplines in their classrooms from the "bottom-up".
3. Co-Developer (Fall 2023-present): Multilingualism and Literacy Workshop Series: Bringing together literacy and ESOL educators to examine, reflect, and collaborate on best ways to ensure the Science of Reading is culturally responsive to multilingual learners' needs across the curriculum and across grade spans. Co-sponsored by the Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity, the Maryland State Department of Education, and the Maryland Reading League.
4. Multilingual Learner Advocate, Higher Education Representative (Spring 2024-present): Language Access Policy for Family and Community Engagement Development Workgroup. Invited by the Maryland State Department of Education State Superintendent's Office.
5. Multilingual Learner External Advisor (Spring 2024-present): Maryland State Department of Education Assessment and Accountability Task Force. Invited by the Maryland State Department of Education State Superintendent's Office.
The following are courses I teach in various programs (*created/+curriculum revision):
Applied Linguistics and Language Education Certificate, Master's, Ph.D. Programs:
School System Leadership Ed.D. Program
*TLPL 888- Apprenticeship in Education: School Leaders and Multilingual Learner Programming