AUSTIN - Senator José Rodríguez's SB 159, which will help maintain and expand cutting-edge dual-language education in schools across the state, including programs in the El Paso Independent School District, has passed a key hurdle after being voted out of committee this week.
"Dual language programs are proven to educate children communicate proficiently in two languages," Senator Rodríguez said. "Given the state's demographics, and the number of children with limited English skills, this is more vital than ever to our future. We have the opportunity to turn that challenge into an advantage."
Dual language programs typically immerse students in instruction that is half in one language and half in the other. Dual Language programs have proven to be more effective than other programs that serve ELL students and have the added benefit of enriching English dominant students with instruction in another language.
In the type of dual language programs prevalent at the El Paso Independent School District and many others around the state, the teacher of the English-language component of the program is certified in English as a Second Language (ESL) but typically not certified in Bilingual Education.
National experts, as well as experts at UTEP, who are leaders in dual language education believe a bilingual certified teacher in the Spanish-language portion of the program and a teacher with an ESL certification for the English-language component is the best combination for delivering a Dual Language Program.
However, due to changes made by TEA when two parts of the Education Code were combined several years ago, teachers in the English-language component of the dual-language program are now required to be bilingually certified. This requires El Paso ISD and other school districts across the state to apply for an exception every year.
S.B. 159 would remove this unnecessary barrier and expand effective Dual Language programs throughout the state, which will benefit thousands of students and hundreds of teachers.
"Dual language is the most successful program in bilingual education, evidence by the fact that it is now run in more than 800 schools in our great state," said Jesse Romero, with the Texas Association for Bilingual Education. "Clarifying the rules and streamlining the process will help maintain that momentum."
In District 29, for example, El Paso Independent School District Superintendent Juan Cabrera said the bill will help his district maintain and expand its successful programs.
"The elimination of unnecessary certification requirements is of the utmost importance for EPISD as we move forward with efforts to expand our dual-language programs at every elementary school in the District," said Superintendent Juan Cabrera. "We look forward to being able to provide high-quality educational opportunities to a greater number of students with the highly-qualified teachers that are already part of the EPISD team."
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José Rodríguez represents Texas Senate District 29, which includes the counties of El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, and Presidio. He represents both urban and rural constituencies, and more than 350 miles of the Texas-Mexico border. Senator Rodríguez currently serves as the Chairman of the Senate Hispanic Caucus, and is a member of the Senate Committees on Education; Health and Human Services; Veteran Affairs and Military Installations; Nominations; and Agriculture, Water, and Rural Affairs.