Bilingual Education Candidates’ Challenges Meeting the Spanish Language/Bilingual Certification Exam and the Impact on Teacher Shortages in the State of Texas, USA

ABSTRACT

Recruiting certified bilingual teachers have been difficult since 2010 as new testing policies and exams are implemented. Advanced high levels of writing and speaking language proficiency are required from the bilingual education candidate to perform his or her job. This essay examines the impact of Texas language policy for bilingual education teachers, testing requirements, and passing rates on state certification tests previously explored by Guerrero (1997, 1999, 2000), and discusses the topic of teacher shortages that has been addressed for the past two decades. Suggestions to assist bilingual education candidates to improve their passing rates are provided.

KEY WORDS:

• Bilingual teachers
• colleges of education
• proficiency
• Spanish language
• testing