Poster #36 - Evaluation of the Texas Dual Language Project

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

Dual  language programs have expanded rapidly nationwide as states and districts seek effective approaches to supporting multilingual learners’ achievement and bilingualism. Texas has been a national leader, supporting the growth and improvement of dual language programs through policy guidance, funding, and professional development. House Bill 3 (2019) strengthened support by increasing funding for bilingual and dual language programs, incentivizing districts to expand dual language opportunities. The Texas Dual Language Project (TDLP) is a federally funded initiative that provides professional development and instructional coaching to educators in dual language schools. This study evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of those supports in three cohorts of schools.

The study addresses the following research questions:
1. How has TDLP been implemented in schools?  What are the barriers and facilitators for implementation?
2. Is TDLP associated with changes in participants’ self-reports of their awareness and use of skills related to teaching literacy in dual language instructional settings?
3, What is the impact of TDLP on students’ English language proficiency and rates of reclassification? 2
4. What is the impact of TDLP on student achievement in English language arts and mathematics?

Implementation analyses draw on data collected during the 2022-23 through 2024-25 school years. This includes teacher surveys about evidence-based dual language strategies, coaching logs that describe implementation, and teacher focus groups. The impact analyses use longitudinal administrative data.

We employed a mixed methods approach to address our implementation questions. We used Rasch analyses to create scales from survey items to examine changes in teachers’ reported knowledge and use of instructional strategies. We descriptively analyzed coaching logs to document the content and intensity of coaching supports. We analyzed focus group data thematically to identify patterns in teachers’ experiences.The impact study use a two-level propensity matching approach to match schools that participated in TDLP to similar, non-participating schools, and then students taught by TDLP teachers to similar students in the comparison schools. We then use multi-level models to examine differences in student outcomes.

Findings show some variation in implementation in the project’s early years, but coaching was more consistent for the final two cohorts. Coaches provided teachers with the intended number of sessions, and teachers were satisfied with the coaching and professional development. They reported that coaches provided useful resources to implement dual language strategies, which they applied in their teaching. Coaching primarily focused on improving oracy and the strategic separation of languages. Teachers in the second two cohorts found the strategies aligned with their schools’ and districts’ visions for dual language instruction. Survey analyses showed notable increases in teachers’ knowledge and use of evidence-based dual language strategies. In focus groups, teachers attributed these gains to guidance and encouragement from coaches.Results from the impact analyses are still in progress.

The findings from this study will help policymakers and professional development providers make informed decisions about how to support educators in dual language settings.

Author

• Ryan Eisner, American Institutes for Research
  Presenting Author