Educational Partners

Austin Independent School District (AISD)

Austin Independent School District (AISD) Consortium

Proyecto Maestría

Our special cohort masters program, Proyecto Maestría, began as a collaborative project with the Austin Independent School District in Summer, 2005. That year’s cohort of 12 students, funded entirely by a Title III Grant, continue to demonstrate, through their powerful thinking and ongoing action as educators throughout AISD, the strength and possibilities of collaboration between AISD and the University of Texas.

Resident Scholar in Bilingual Education at Austin ISD

Dr. George Blanco currently holds the position of Resident Scholar in Bilingual Education in the Austin Independent School District. Dr. Pat Forgion, Superintendent of the Austin ISD, established the position as part of the school district's ongoing committment to strenghtn its relationship with UT Austin in the preparation of bilingual education teachers. In this role, Dr. Blanco advises the Proyecto Maestria teachers as they complete their Master's Degree Programs in Bilingual Education in Curriculum and Instruction. Each semester he also teaches a course for the Bilingual Education Cohort. Dr. Blanco's duties have also entailed organizing and teaching a series of language related inservice sessions for bilingual education teachers in the school district.

Technology Integration in the EC-4 Bilingual Program

Dr. Haydée Rodriguez, lecturer in Bilingual Education teacher preparation, has been working hard to keep our undergraduates connected through two exciting projects.

Project PORTAL

The Providing Opportunities for Relevant Teaching and Access to Language (PORTAL) Project uses technology to put student teachers into the classrooms of practicing master bilingual educators. Using videoconferencing, students watch an AISD teacher give a lesson in a real-time classroom setting. Later, the teacher comes to talk with the students and answer questions about her lesson, the choices she made and how to apply bilingual principles of learning in the classroom.

Project VIDA

The Vigorous Instruction Delivers Achievement (VIDA) Project is a collaborative and jointly funded effort between the University of Texas and Austin Independent School District, in which UT bilingual education student teachers are paired with Austin ISD mentor teachers and work together with students to integrate writing and science bilingual education with technology. Mentor teachers receive a refurbished laptop loaded with software and training materials for their classrooms.