Ernesto holds an M.S. in Instructional Technology from New York Institute of Technology, an M.A. in Secondary Mathematics Education from CUNY City College, and an M.A. in Teaching from Philippine Normal University. Ernesto has an Advanced Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from St. John's University and an Advanced Certificate in Students with Disabilities from The College of Saint Rose. Ernesto was recently awarded the 2018 Academic High School Excellence in Education Award from the United Federation of Teachers and was a 2014 Fund for Teachers Fellow and 2017 Affinity Teacher Leader Fellow.