Texas Emergent Bilingual Plan Guide
Texas Strategic Plan for Emergent Bilinguals: A Comprehensive Guide
Understanding the Need for a Statewide Emergent Bilingual Strategy
Texas is home to over one million Emergent Bilingual (EB) students students who are developing proficiency in English while also speaking another language. This growing demographic demands a targeted and culturally responsive educational approach. The state’s strategic plan aims to elevate instructional practices, increase academic achievement, and ensure equitable access for all EB learners.
Vision and Mission for Supporting Emergent Bilinguals in Texas
Vision:
Empower Emergent Bilingual students to achieve linguistic, academic, and personal success through effective, inclusive, and culturally affirming education.
Mission:
To create a collaborative and systemic framework that enhances the linguistic and academic development of Emergent Bilinguals across Texas by supporting districts, educators, and families.
Strategic Goals and Core Priorities
1. Elevate English Proficiency and Academic Outcomes
To accelerate English language development while ensuring access to grade-level curriculum, the plan outlines the following:
Strengthen implementation of the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).
Embed language objectives into core academic instruction.
Monitor student progress through TELPAS data and academic indicators.
Provide early literacy and biliteracy supports starting in Pre-K.
2. Implement Effective Instructional Programs
Instructional programs must be research-based, linguistically responsive, and inclusive of:
Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs.
Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE).
ESL Content-Based and ESL Pull-Out models.
Asset-based strategies that leverage students’ home languages.
3. Support and Develop Highly Skilled Educators
A critical pillar involves investing in educators through:
Statewide professional development on linguistically inclusive pedagogy.
ELPS-aligned training for content-area teachers.
Bilingual and ESL teacher pipeline initiatives.
Micro-credentialing in second language acquisition.
4. Enhance Family and Community Engagement
Family partnerships enhance student success. The plan promotes:
Culturally responsive family engagement practices.
Multilingual communication and resources.
Training for educators to collaborate with families from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
5. Strengthen Systems of Support and Accountability
Accountability and governance are essential to ensure fidelity and impact:
Annual reporting on EB student outcomes.
Performance-based monitoring and compliance reviews.
Strategic use of Title III and state funds.
District-level EB program evaluations tied to student success metrics.
Data-Driven Decision-Making
Performance data and local context must drive all decisions. The strategic plan mandates:
Data disaggregation by language proficiency level.
Identification of trends and instructional gaps.
Targeted support for underperforming student groups.
Equity Through Innovation: The Kintess Approach
At Kintess, we align with Texas’s strategic framework by integrating bilingual education into a holistic, emotionally intelligent learning model. Our unique approach includes:
Embedding emotional literacy into EB instruction using tools like the Mood Meter.
Offering fully immersive bilingual classrooms that celebrate language and culture.
Engaging families as partners through multilingual communication platforms.
Prioritizing teacher training in SEL and cross-linguistic instructional strategies.
Our model ensures students are not only bilingual but also emotionally resilient and academically equipped for a global society.
A Statewide Commitment to Multilingual Excellence
Texas’s strategic plan for Emergent Bilinguals lays a robust foundation for multilingual education. By aligning policy, practice, and community engagement, the plan ensures that EB students thrive academically while embracing their cultural identities. Institutions like Kintess are proud to amplify this vision through innovative, bilingual, and emotionally grounded learning environments.