Dr. Camila Morales, Assistant Professor of Economics and Research Director for the Texas Schools Project, has been awarded a 3-year grant for $390,000 from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) as part of their Early Career Development and Mentoring Program for Education Research. This grant will fund her work examining the long-term academic and labor market outcomes of English Learners (ELs) participating in bilingual education programs in Texas. This project is fully supported by federal funds, with no additional support from non-governmental sources.
In collaboration with Dr. Trey Miller from UTD and Dr. Gema Zamarro from the University of Arkansas, Dr. Morales will examine the efficacy of Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs compared to alternative approaches to language education for ELs, such as English-only and English-transition programs.
Using data from the UTD Education Research Center, the study will explore key outcomes like academic achievement, high school graduation, college enrollment and degree completion, and labor market success for EL students across ten cohorts, making it one of the few studies assessing the value of bilingual programs using a large and diverse sample. Her findings are expected to provide critical insights that will inform education policy and help shape the future of bilingual education in the U.S.
This recognition highlights Dr. Morales’ dedication to improving educational outcomes for EL students, contributing valuable evidence to the field of bilingual education.
Read more here.