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Embrace
Embracing the immigrant and multicultural Church as both the great legacy of Catholic education and a path to future vitality
ALMA
Featured
Story + Film
The Sound of Belonging
At St. Anne School in Santa Ana, mariachi is helping students carry forward music, memory, culture, and faith while building a deeper sense of belonging in their Catholic school community.
Watch + Read
Our Mission
Embrace. Educate. Empower.
ALMA helps Catholic schools recognize the gifts of multicultural communities, equip educators to serve multilingual learners, and empower students, families, and leaders to shape the future of Catholic education.
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Educate
Educating multilingual students by forming educators and leaders to employ research-based practices that promote student success
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Empower
Empowering multicultural communities as sources of expertise, wisdom, and faith
About ALMA
The soul of Catholic education
Catholic schools have long served immigrant and historically underserved communities by honoring the dignity, gifts, culture, and faith of every child and family.
ALMA carries that legacy forward for today's increasingly multicultural and multilingual Church.
Catholic schools are not only places that serve Latino and multilingual communities. They are renewed and transformed by the gifts, cultures, languages, and faith those communities bring.
Learn About ALMAOur Impact
A national impact, rooted in local communities
For more than a decade, ALMA has equipped Catholic educators and schools to better serve Latino and multilingual students and families.
14,000+ Catholic school educators formed through professional development
9,000+ Newly enrolled Latino children
544 Catholic schools represented in Latino enrollment growth
116 (Arch)dioceses represented in that work
Find Your Place
Wherever you are, there's a place to begin
ALMA programs meet Catholic educators and school communities at different points in their journey, from individual formation to whole-school transformation.
For Individuals
Educators & Leaders
Deepen your expertise, earn credentials, develop as a leader, and join a national community of Catholic educators committed to serving diverse learners.
For Groups
School Teams
Build shared knowledge, develop common practices, receive mentorship, and strengthen your school's capacity together.
For Communities
Schools & Dioceses
Create lasting cultural and instructional change through professional development, consultation, family engagement, and school-wide formation.
Current Opportunities
Take the next step with ALMA
Explore upcoming formation opportunities for Catholic school educators, leaders, and teams.
Applications Open October 15
ENL Hernandez Fellows
Earn your ENL/ESL endorsement through a three-semester, 18-credit graduate-level program centered on research-based strategies for serving multilingual learners.
Explore the Fellowship
Applications Open November 1
Latino Engagement Institute
Strengthen school culture, outreach, enrollment, and engagement with Latino families through a summer conference followed by year-long formation and mentorship.
Explore LEI
Applications Open December 12
LEAD
A year-long leadership formation experience combining professional development, mentorship, community, and reflection rooted in Catholic education.
Explore LEADLatest from ALMA
Stories, reflections, and resources
Explore recent stories, practical resources, and reflections from the ALMA team.
Reflection
A Hispanic Heritage Month Reflection
ALMA Director Jocelyn Smith reflects on Hispanic Heritage Month, the people and experiences that have shaped her, and the work of building Catholic school communities where all can flourish.
Read the Reflection
ALMA in Action
ALMA Summer in Focus
139 participants representing 39 (arch)dioceses came together to learn, connect, and grow through ALMA summer programs.
See the Summer Highlights
Educational Resources
Resources for the Work
Explore videos, short-form documentaries, podcasts, articles, briefs, and practical tools for culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms.
Browse Resources
ALMA Apparel
Interested in adding some ALMA swag to your closet? Show your pride for being a Catholic school educator and for working to provide the best possible educational opportunities for our multilingual and multicultural students. ALMA t-shirts are available for purchase.
Purchase ALMA Apparel