CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — This year, the Corpus Christi Independent School District announced their Bilingual Education Program, which would provide primarily Spanish speaking students with a certified bilingual teacher.
The district plans to change its bilingual program starting with the 2023-2024 school year to consolidate its bilingual teachers into 19 campuses.
3NEWS spoke with two certified bilingual teachers who hold opposing views on the how the program serves area children.
CCISD bilingual teacher Maria Alvarado came to the U.S. when she was a little girl.
"I saw and experienced the way a child comes in not knowing the language, where everybody is speaking a language, and you have no idea what they're saying," she said.
Having to adapt quickly, Alvarado managed to learn English -- but it wasn't easy.
"I will never forget I had my fifth-grade teacher correct me when I read the word 'Iceland' and not 'island' and it wasn't because I didn't know how to read, it's because my first language wasn't English," she said.
Alvarado said that her experiences as a child are what motivated her to become a bilingual teacher.
"There's a lot of children who come in feeling that way. Lost, confused, just wanting to make friends but not knowing how. Learn, but not know where to start," she said.
For the 2023-24 school year, CCISD plans on having bilingual education hubs where a few schools will serve Spanish speaking students.
Those 19 CCISD schools that will retain or add bilingual teachers include:
Allen, Berlanga, Calk-Wilson, Cullen Place, Dawson, ECDC, Galvan, Garcia, Gibson, Hicks, Los Encinos, Metro E, Mireles, Moore, Oak Park, Shaw, Smith, Windsor Park, and Zavala.
Therefore, those students will go only to those schools. Bilingual teachers will be moved there as well. However, not every bilingual teacher is on-board. 3NEWS spoke with another teacher of the Corpus Christi School District. She told 3NEWS she did not want to be identified.
"When it was proposed that there would be bilingual hubs, we were told it was just a proposal, there was nothing to worry about and then days later, there were bilingual teachers that were given 24 hours to pick which bilingual hub they would like to teach at," the teacher said.
The teacher said that she disagrees with the learning style, saying that it will hinder children more than help them learn.
"When you put all Spanish speakers into one room, the students will lose out on that social language with English speaking peers," she said.
Previously coming from the Austin Independent School District, the teacher said that the shortage of certified bilingual teachers is worse than the teacher shortage alone.
"There are other districts that are being supportive and providing trainings, and providing professional development for bilingual teachers to help their students succeed and becoming skilled members of the community, and you know there's also the pay. The pay here is much lower. I moved here and lost out on pay."
CCISD will continue providing parent meetings for families who plan on enrolling their kids in the bilingual program.
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