5815 Callaghan Road, Suite 101
San Antonio, Texas 78228
Phone: 210-444-1710
Expert Virtual Roundtable
Help Shape Texas’ New Bilingual Special Education Certification
Though Texas has tens of thousands of emergent bilingual students with disabilities, the state has not had a teacher certification program that equips professionals to meet the needs of those students.

Until now! The Texas Legislature in 2021 passed HB 2256 to create such a program. HB 2256 came out of a year-long initiative, the Texas Early Childhood English Learner Initiative*.

The State Board for Educator Certification must now develop the rules and standards and is asking for input from experts like you. IDRA is holding a series of roundtable discussions to convene professionals in bilingual special education to assist. We will compile recommendations to submit to the state board.

This is an invitation-only event. But you are welcome to extend the invitation to your colleagues!
Another Way to Give Your Input
Complete Our Online Questionnaire
We invite you to complete our questionnaire whether or not you are able to participate in a roundtable. The form includes questions like:
  • What are your thoughts on the unique pedagogy of the bilingual special educator?
  • What are specific competencies in bilingual and special education that this certification should include?
  • What should field requirements be like?
  • What should course clock-hours include?
  • What program requirements should be in place around identifying students for either bilingual education, special education, or both?
Learn more!

Exciting Advances for Emergent Bilingual Students in Texas, by Araceli García, IDRA Newsletter, June-July 2021

HB 2256 Improves Bilingual and Special Education Service Identification for Students – IDRA Testimony for House Bill 2256, Presented by Dr. Chloe Latham Sikes to the House Public Education Committee, April 6, 2021
This event is brought to you by the IDRA EAC-South, the equity assistance center serving schools in the U.S. South to protect students' civil rights.

*For the Texas Early Childhood English Learner Initiative, IDRA served as a steering committee co-leader with Texans Care for Children; Philanthropy Advocates (formerly called Texas Education Grantmakers Advocacy Consortium, TEGAC); Dr. Dina Castro, UNT Denton; and Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TxAEYC).
January 27, 2022
The Intercultural Development Research Association is an independent, non-profit organization. Our mission is to achieve equal educational opportunity for every child through strong public schools that prepare all students to access and succeed in college. IDRA strengthens and transforms public education by providing dynamic training; useful research, evaluation, and frameworks for action; timely policy analyses; and innovative materials and programs.
 
IDRA works hand-in-hand with hundreds of thousands of educators and families each year in communities and classrooms around the country. All our work rests on an unwavering commitment to creating self-renewing schools that value and promote the success of students of all backgrounds.