Our Team

Lila Dahbura Situ is the Program Coordinator for the early childhood assessment grants awarded to the Literacy and Language Department at Region 4 Education Service Center. During her tenure, Lila has managed a grant team executing work for three Texas Education Agency (TEA) grants supporting statewide initiatives to positively impact Texas educators with using early childhood reading instruments to support data-driven instruction and improve outcomes for young children. Her primary role is to provide leadership to the grant team, support high-level, strategic vision planning, develop systems and processes for the efficient and effective implementation of grant work, and offer guidance and supervision to the grant team.

Prior to joining Region 4 ESC in 2021, Lila served as the Director of Early Childhood programming in BakerRipley's community school district, which served students across the city of Houston with wraparound services. In this role, Lila directed the work of a small team supporting early childhood (EC) programming in the district, and was responsible for the district's EC vision planning. She co-led the comprehensive redesign and implementation of a new literacy curriculum in the district, focusing primarily on change management with Kindergarten (K) through Second Grade (K–2) teachers. Lila also led the redesign of several major early childhood programming components, including overhauling and managing the implementation of high-quality curriculum materials in Prekindergarten (PK), as well as K–2 mathematics. Additionally, Lila designed and delivered quality district professional development trainings for PK–2 staff and partnered with campus instructional leaders to provide instructional coaching services to the district's early childhood teachers. Lila started her career as the lead teacher in PK-1st grade classrooms in a variety of school settings, such as dual-language and play-based learning. She also held various leadership roles throughout her time in campus-based roles.

Lila holds a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston, specializing in Early Childhood Education, and is a certified PK–8 teacher. She has early literacy leadership certification from Rice University and is a Teach for America—Houston alumna. Her interest and passion is focused on high-quality early childhood programming at the intersection of play-based instruction to promote 21st century skills in our youngest learners. In her free time, Lila enjoys discovering new foods, events, and activities with her husband, son, and two dogs.