‘We feel validated’: How Pasadena ISD’s new approach to bilingual instruction is paying off for students

A new analysis from Rice University's Kinder Institute found that emergent bilingual second-graders in Pasadena Independent School District (ISD) made stronger academic gains when taught under the One-Way Dual Language program — where at least half of class time is in Spanish — compared to students in Transitional Bilingual classes that push toward English faster.

The Kinder Institute's Houston Education Research Consortium compared two bilingual program types in Pasadena ISD. One-Way Dual Language students scored 4 percentile points higher on standardized math and reading tests and 2 percentile points higher on a grade-level readiness assessment than peers in Transitional Bilingual classes. Students in Transitional Bilingual classes did show faster English acquisition — scoring 12 percentage points higher on the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) — but past research suggests dual-language students often close that gap by upper elementary school. Pasadena ISD began phasing in One-Way Dual Language in the 2022–23 school year. About 4,470 of the district's roughly 7,150 emergent bilingual elementary students are now enrolled in the program. Researchers and district leaders plan to keep tracking results as the program matures.

Use what you learn here to start conversations with teachers or school leaders about which bilingual program your child is in and what the goals are at each grade level. Understanding the difference between program types helps you ask better questions and advocate for approaches backed by research.

No fixed date

Not location-specific

If your child attends school in Pasadena ISD, Houston ISD, or another Houston-area district with a large emergent bilingual population, this research speaks directly to your community. Families across Greater Houston who speak Spanish at home may find these findings especially relevant as districts continue refining their bilingual program offerings.

Knowing which bilingual education models work — and why — helps parents, educators, and community members make informed decisions about how schools serve emergent bilingual kids. The early results from Pasadena ISD suggest that giving students more time to learn in their home language can pay off in math, reading, and grade-level readiness, even if English fluency builds a little more slowly at first.