UTSA receives $2.8 million grant to train bilingual teachers

NOVEMBER 25, 2024 — Researchers at UTSA recently received a five-year, $2.8 million grant to launch a new pathway in the UTSA signature teacher residency program that addresses the growing need for multilingual and culturally responsive educators. The pathway aims to support bilingual paraprofessionals such as teacher aides and other staff members working in San Antonio’s school districts so they can become certified bilingual teachers. It will also support students with some college experience who want to earn a bachelor’s degree.

The new pathway was designed following input from seven partnering school districts — East Central, Edgewood, Harlandale, North East, Northside, San Antonio and Somerset — that identified a growing demand for certified, bilingual education teachers. Through the pathway, UTSA aims to provide training to approximately 60 aspiring teachers.

UTSA will begin to accept applications and actively recruit participants through school districts this spring. The residency’s first cohort will begin in the summer.

“By incorporating community knowledge and self-reflection, we aim to train teachers who are not only knowledgeable but also deeply connected to the communities they serve.”

“We heard from multiple stakeholders and there was a resounding demand for this type of career preparation,” said Lorena Claeys, director of the UTSA Academy for Teacher Excellence (ATE) Research Center and principal investigator on the project. “District representatives expressed a great need for certified bilingual teachers and the need for a pathway for paraprofessionals to enter those roles.”

The San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) began an initiative in 2016 to expand bilingual education in response to concerns that students with Hispanic heritage were losing their Spanish proficiency. The district introduced an 80-20 dual language model designed to immerse students predominantly in Spanish in pre-K then transition gradually to a 50-50 split by fourth grade. The goal is to ensure that students build a strong foundation in Spanish early in their education and then continue to develop their skills in both languages.

SAISD’s initiative coincided with a growing shortage of qualified teachers in San Antonio, pushing the district to create alternative pathways into the profession to close the gap. In 2023, roughly 38% of new teachers hired in Texas were uncertified. Multiple school districts are partnering with universities to offer similar bachelor's degrees and fast-track teaching certification programs.

The UTSA team conducted a survey of paraprofessionals currently employed in San Antonio school districts to assess interest. Of the 258 surveyed, 61% indicated that they would like to attain certification in bilingual EC-6, the qualification to teach core subjects (English, math, science, social studies, music, art, health and physical education) between early childhood levels and sixth grade in the state of Texas.

“There are many benefits to creating a pathway for paraprofessionals to become bilingual teachers,” Claeys said. “Paraprofessionals are typically from the community. They have the advantage of understanding the community and the students. They can use this knowledge to support student learning. Also, paraprofessionals who become teachers are more likely to be retained in the district, resulting in workforce stability.”

Students entering UTSA’s new pathway will be able to receive scholarships during their year-long clinical teaching residency placement. At the end of the program, students will also receive fee waivers to take five TExES certification exams.

Supporting the project are Belinda Bustos Flores, founder of ATE, and Heather Trepal, associate dean for academic programs and student success in the UTSA College of Education and Human Development (COEHD).

Funding for the project comes from the U.S. Department of Education Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program.

The new pathway will complement the existing UTSA Signature Teacher Residency program offered in the COEHD. Participants will develop comprehensive knowledge of the disciplines they will teach and the cultural context in which they will work. Also, they will develop and explore their own personal and professional identities.

“Teaching can’t be impactful when it’s impersonal or transactional,” Trepal said. “By incorporating community knowledge and self-reflection, we aim to train teachers who are not only knowledgeable but also deeply connected to the communities they serve.”

The UTSA Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, which has been preparing bilingual and English as a Second Language teachers for over 50 years, was instrumental in developing the residency program. Patricia Sánchez, professor and chair of the department, emphasized the value of culturally and linguistically relevant pedagogy.

“Our faculty and staff often share similar backgrounds and experiences as our students, fostering a sense of belonging and respect within our classrooms,” Sánchez said.

ATE has also been a key partner in this initiative. Since it was founded by Flores in 2003, researchers in ATE have collaborated with school districts, community colleges and the private sector to address the growing need for effective teacher preparation programs.

— Audrey Gray