The Office of Bilingual Education

OBE currently administers a collaborative project involving the UT Austin Equity and Diversity in Special Education Program, the Texas Education Agency and the Austin Independent School District.  This model demonstration project is designed to address disproportionate representation of English Language Learners in special education programs.  The project model, Determining Special Education Eligibility for the Bilingual Exceptional Student:  Early Intervention, Referral, and Assessment (BESt ERA), is being validated in two elementary schools. Professional development and technical assistance is being provided to

1. increase educators’ understanding of linguistic and cultural diversity and of effective instructional strategies, with a focus on native and English oral language and reading development,
2. implement effective early intervention strategies for students experiencing literacy-related problems;
3. to increase appropriate referrals and decrease inappropriate ones;
4. to conduct linguistically and culturally relevant comprehensive, individual evaluations;
5. to increase appropriateness of special education eligibility decisions; and
6. to increase and improve family participation in all steps of the process from early intervention to eligibility determination. 

OBE staff are frequent guest lecturers in courses taught in their respective departments and across the College and University, present at meetings of professional organizations at the local, state, and national levels, and provide consultation and technical assistance across the country.  OBE is often the first point of contact for students, faculty, professionals, policymakers, reporters, and members of the community at large who are interested in the education of limited English proficient students.

OBE faculty have a history of extensive interaction with local school districts and provide staff development and technical assistance to campus personnel in a variety of ways, including presenting workshops and conference sessions and responding to requests for information and resources.  In addition, the majority of the faculty’s research activities have been collaborative efforts with school district personnel. OBE faculty consult with the Austin Independent School District on several initiatives, including the bilingual education district advisory committee, and the bilingual special education workgroup.

For the past 18 years, the Office of Bilingual Education has co-sponsored the annual Texas Fiesta Educativa Conference, the only state-wide bilingual conference focused on improving access to social, medical, legal, and educational services for Hispanics in the state of Texas.  The conference highlights services to Hispanics with disabilities and to Hispanic parents who have children with disabilities.  The conference is attended by individuals who represent consumers, parents, advocates, school district personnel, health, education, and private sector professionals, and policy makers.

OBE participates in the Diversity Institute which is administered by the Center for Social Work Research in the School of Social Work and which involves both University faculty and community representatives interested in diversity training.