The Leaking Spanish Bilingual Education Teacher Pipeline: Stories of PK-20 Challenges Told by Latinx Becoming Bilingual Teachers in the U.S.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Wondering about possible reasons for the continuous shortage of bilingual teachers in the U.S., this five-year longitudinal qualitative narrative inquiry examines potential “leaks” in the pre-kindergarten to college (PK-20) Latinx bilingual teacher pipeline (BTP). We adopt Ocasio’s Latino Teacher Pipeline framework which establishes PK-20 junctures where Latinx students are at risk of premature exit. The PK-20 junctures Latinx students face when deciding to become bilingual teachers are (1) high-school graduation, (2) enrollment in higher education, and (3) college graduation and obtaining certification. By examining the educational trajectories told by three Latinx becoming novice bilingual teachers, three salient PK-20 leaks are revealed in the participant’s testimonios. One is the challenge to become and remain bilingual. Another is the facing of negative family messages toward teaching as a desirable career option. A third challenge is not feeling valued and supported in terms of their culture and bilingualism, within educational institutions including in the Bilingual Education Preparation Programs (EPP). We propose specific concerted actions among school district administrators and BEPPs to implement initiatives that forefront a commitment toward structuring and strengthening the Latinx BTP that may ameliorate the shortage of bilingual teachers.