Welcome to the Proyecto Maestría Collaborative at the University of Texas

Proyecto Maestría Collaborative for Teacher Leadership in Bilingual and ESL Education is the product of a Grant from the U.S. Dept of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition and a longstanding partnership between U.T. Austin, College of Education and AISD. Its purpose is to improve the quality and increase the quantity of highly skilled Bilingual and ESL teachers in the Austin metropolitan area, promote teacher retention, and improve the educational outcome for the region’s growing population of English Language Learners.

The collaborative will accomplish this aim through the following two initiatives:
•    PROYECTO MAESTRÍA SPECIAL MASTERS PROGRAM: This program provides scholarship money for experienced Bilingual teachers from the Austin area to pursue a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Bilingual Education. Each year a cohort will be assembled representing area schools. Upon completion of the Masters program, this select group will then serve as mentor teachers on their campuses as well as support teacher education and professional development related to Bilingual and ESL education in their districts and in collaboration with U.T. Austin.

•    BILINGUAL/ESL SUMMER INSTITUTE (BESI): The summer institute addresses the need for a growing pool of Bilingual and ESL certified teachers in the Austin area. It provides graduate level courses in Bilingual and ESL education during intensive summer sessions each year. Practicing certified teachers who wish to seek Bilingual or ESL credentials are eligible to attend.