Bilingual Education Policy in Texas: Promise and Lost Opportunities

Abstract

Substantial research shows how bilingualism can result in cognitive, social, and academic benefits for the individual and for society. Nevertheless, many state and federal policies continue to reflect the influence of English-only, nationalistic proponents and the inadequate investment in education. This chapter recounts the struggles of bilingual education in the United States and in Texas through policy and litigation over the past fifty-plus years.