Texas – Teacher Excellence for All Students (T-TExAS)

Note: This project is no longer active.

Project Summary
IDRA's Texas - Teacher Excellence for All Students (T-TExAS) project was a five-year project designed to increase the number of bilingual and English as a second language (ESL) teachers in Texas districts with high numbers of English language learners. The project supported teacher preparation and certification through alternative teacher certification routes for bilingual and Spanish-dominant career-changing professionals and recent college graduates - in fields other than education - who wanted to enter teaching and have a specific interest in bilingual education. Recruitment included professionals from Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries who are legal residents and can work in the United States.

T-TExAS Teacher Preparation Programs and Collaborating Districts

• Houston ISD, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 713-802-6850
• University of North Texas – Dallas, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 940-565-2931 or Dr. Rudy Rodriguez, 940-565-2833
• Northwest Vista College, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 210-348-2183 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 210-348-2401
• University of Texas – Pan American, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 956-381-3486
• University of Texas – Brownsville, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 956-882-7466

School districts participating in the program included: Austin ISD, Houston ISD, Dallas ISD and Forth Worth ISD, Greenville ISD and Mt. Pleasant ISD; Edgewood ISD, Harlandale ISD, Northside ISD, San Antonio ISD, South San ISD, Southside ISD, Southwest ISD; Texas valley schools, particularly, Brownsville ISD, La Joya ISD, Los Fresnos CISD, San Benito CISD, Point Isabel ISD, and others.

Project Participants
Three cohorts of teacher interns (for a total of 225) were recruited and trained. Recruitment was targeted to three groups: (1) mid-career professionals including retired military, who possessed high levels of academic expertise and excellent English language skills; (2) professionals who were foreign-educated in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries (with residency and permission t work in the United States) who had similar skills as the first group; and (3) recent college graduates with excellent academic records and similar skills as the first group. In addition to training for certification, the project provided ongoing specialized support through a number of activities including mentoring by master teachers and professional development.

Project Components
T-TExAS made it possible for school districts to target and tap into new groups of professionals who possess the basic requirements of prospective bilingual education and ESL teachers. T-TExAS was comprised of the following components: (1) early identification and recruitment; (2) pre-service training for certification and placement; and (3) sustained in-service training/professional development and support.

Outcomes

• Project teachers possessing a solid academic background and experience in bilingual education and/or ESL theory and methodology.
• Project participants passing required examinations and become appropriately credentialed.
• Professional placement and extended support in high need classrooms.
• All collaborators coedmmit to sustaining recruitment, preparation, and placement during the five years of the project.

The Certification Program
Teacher preparation occured through an accelerated certification program offered to already degreed professionals. This training prepared individuals to earn a teaching certificate in elementary or secondary education, and an endorsement in bilingual education or ESL, as required by the state of Texas.

The alternative certification program involved enrolling in teacher certification courses and concurrently working as a teacher intern in a bilingual classroom in a school district that has agreed to hire the intern as a first-year teacher. The foreign-born Spanish speaking professional could be employed either as a teacher or in a non-certified personnel position, depending on the particular district's bilingual program needs and the interns qualifications.

Courses were taken for a period of approximately one year.

(It was possible for qualified individuals to work toward teaching certification and a master's degree; however, this route required some additional courses, and work with the university to obtain a degree plan and information on additional financial support.)

Recruitment and Application
Recruitment was conducted through a variety of sources including the school districts, the universities and the IDRA web site (www.idra.org). The candidate selection process included a preliminary screening for eligibility. Upon eligibility, candidates completed a T-TExAS application form, participated in an interview with the selection committee and submited the following information to the program selection committee. This includeed:

• A multicultural attitude questionnaire;
• A written three- to five-page statement of purpose (in English and Spanish), explaining your rationale for wanting to become a bilingual teacher;
• Legal resident status or eligibility for residency;
• Statement of employment history;
• A signed commitment to complete the program and work for at least three years in a high-need school district; and
• Two letters of recommendation.

Mentoring and Support
During the certification program year and during the first year of placement as a bilingual teacher in a bilingual classroom, T-TExAS provided the project participants with special mentoring and support through a variety of professional development activities and opportunities to interact with experienced teachers, many of whom are graduates of similar teacher preparation programs.