Preparing Bilingual Teachers for Texas Classrooms: A&M-Commerce Receives $2.7 Million Multilingualism Grant

The university will use the funding to launch an innovative bilingual teacher preparation and research project.

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a five-year, $2.7 million grant to the College of Education and Human Services at Texas A&M University-Commerce to help launch the LeoTeach BEACON project. The program aims to build a pipeline of bilingual teachers ready to make a difference in Texas classrooms.

An instructor uses a chart to teach Spanish to young students in a classroom.
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Dr. Kathryn Dixon, associate professor and assistant dean of the College of Education and Human Services, is the principal investigator (PI) for the grant. Co-PIs include Dr. Tomas Espinosa and Ms. Ana Castillo in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Dr. Shifang Tang in the Department of Psychology and Special Education.

Supporting working adults

LeoTeach BEACON will operate from the university's Dallas location at 8750 North Park Central. It is designed to support bilingual and multilingual paraprofessionals from schools in McKinney, Mesquite, Plano, Richardson and Wylie in becoming certified bilingual teachers. The program will assist employees in earning a Bachelor of Science in Education with EC-6 Bilingual Certification and allow them to continue their current jobs. The grant funding will go toward:

  • Tuition assistance
  • Certification exam vouchers
  • Completion of the Texas Reading Academies Biliteracy pathway before graduation
  • Participation in regional, state and national bilingual education conferences
  • Stipends for cooperating teachers tasked with mentoring students during their clinical teaching experience

Addressing bilingual teacher shortages

Dixon says there's a critical shortage of certified bilingual teachers in Texas. She emphasizes research demonstrating that paraprofessionals with experience working in their local schools have the potential to stay in the classroom as strong, early teachers. However, as full-time working adults, they need support while in educator preparation programs.

“We are excited that the LeoTeach BEACON project will provide a pathway to a bachelor's degree in education with bilingual certification,” she said. “The program includes high-quality coursework, coaching, professional development and financial supports so that more K-12 Texas students can benefit from highly qualified and certified bilingual teachers.”

A bilingual teacher stands at the front of a classroom demonstrating ASL. Behind her is a blackboard with chalk drawings of ASL signs.
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A four-pronged approach

In training future bilingual teachers, LeoTeach BEACON focuses on four main goals:

1. Certifying Bilingual Educators: The program supports bilingual and multilingual paraprofessionals in becoming certified bilingual teachers for prekindergarten through twelfth-grade classrooms.

2. Improving Teaching Methods: The project will study how the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model impacts teaching skills. Researchers will measure SIOP's effects on students' English language skills and academic performance.

3. Building Strong Partnerships: University faculty will work closely with participating school districts, which include McKinney, Mesquite, Plano, Richardson and Wylie. This partnership will connect classroom learning with real-world teaching and focus on language and cultural variety.

4. Mentorship for Long-Term Success: The project will create mentorship opportunities to support bilingual educators. These mentorships will build a strong support network and improve bilingual education in the long term.

A pathway to multilingualism

LeoTeach BEACON will address the growing need for bilingual teachers nationwide. By supporting bilingual paraprofessionals, the program aims to create a lasting impact on students and schools.

An instructor sitting at a desk at the front of a classroom points toward students with hands raised in the foreground.
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“Being multilingual is a superpower—a powerful asset that can connect students to their identity and culture, and gives those who speak more than one language cognitive, social and economic benefits,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in an announcement. “The investments we're announcing today advance our goal of providing every student in America with a pathway to multilingualism by supporting the recruitment, preparation and retention of amazing bilingual and multilingual educators.”

Facilitating success for educators and students

The LeoTeach BEACON project will provide critical support to bilingual paraprofessionals and address the shortage of certified teachers in Texas. Focusing on mentorship, certification and professional development, the program will help meet the growing demand for bilingual educators and ensure that more students have access to high-quality bilingual instruction.

For more information about LeoTeach BEACON, contact [email protected].

Featured photo at top: Texas A&M University-Commerce Office of Marketing and Communications