With more than 16,000 emergent bilingual students—over 20% of its total enrollment—FBISD bilingual educator Elisoliet Corsino said the incentive, along with professional development and curriculum programming, reflects the district’s strong commitment to bilingual education.
“It's a statement saying that our efforts are valued, that bilingual education is important here, and so are the people who teach it,” she said.
The details
Per the release, the bilingual teacher incentives include:
- A $4,000 annual stipend for teachers in approved bilingual teaching roles
- A $1,500 signing bonus for newly hired bilingual educators
- Specialized professional development focused on One-Way Dual Language, or OWDL, programming, which is provides instruction in both English and Spanish
Barrera said FBISD will consider candidates with Texas certification in bilingual education and candidates with bachelor’s degrees and a letter of acceptance to an alternative certification program.
At a glance
Across the 11 campuses where bilingual curriculum is offered, there are 17 vacancies for bilingual teachers, Barrera said.
Since the 2024-25 school year, FBISD has implemented the OWDL program as part of its efforts to support emergent bilingual students whose first language is Spanish, Barrera said. He said the program began with pre-K to third grade, with full implementation through fifth grade expected by the 2026-27 school year.
The program differs from the district’s previous Transitional Bilingual/Early Exit model, which focused on moving students to English-only instruction within a few years, Barrera said.
OWDL provides instruction in both languages with the goal of developing bilingualism and biliteracy by the end of elementary school, a feature that Corsino said demonstrates FBISD’s cultural appreciation.
“It encourages the students to bring their own self into the classroom and celebrate that feeling valued because it's not only about learning two languages,” Corsino said. “That's the focus, but also that they feel value in this diverse world and they are able to implement those tools and grow them academically.”
Officials said third grade bilingual students taking the Spanish version of the Measures of Academic Progress, or MAP, test outperformed English-speaking peers during the 2024-25 school year, which Chief Academic Officer Adam Stephens said validates the effectiveness of dual-language instruction, a trend that is expected to continue as the OWDL program expands.
“Research shows that students that participate in a dual language program at some point ... are going to outdo [their peers],” Barrera said. “We were not expecting that it was going to be showing so fast, but I think the quality of instruction that our teachers are providing—it is showing.”
What they’re saying
Corsino, a veteran bilingual educator from Puerto Rico with 21 years of teaching experience—six of which have been in Fort Bend ISD—praised FBISD for its strong instructional support for bilingual teachers. She said the district’s use of culturally relevant, pre-translated materials and its inclusive environment that truly values the expertise of experienced bilingual educators.
“I call it the ‘Cadillac curriculum,’” Corsino said of the district’s instructional resources. “Spanish is alive—you cannot rely only on translating apps. The curriculum is already adapted for every need.”
Moving forward
As FBISD expands its OWDL program, Barrera said growing interest from families—including English-proficient households—highlights the program's strong reputation and demand, though enrollment is currently limited to emergent bilingual students as required by the state.
Barrera said plans are underway to expand OWDL to middle schools in the future to continue dual language instruction for the current cohort of elementary students.
