Project Pilar

Overview

Project Parental Inclusion in Language and Research (PILAR) is a comprehensive and integrated professional transformation project, designed to create the conditions for partner districts to succeed in developing highly effective dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs that will then serve as a model to newer DLBE schools throughout Indiana. Project PILAR will provide licensure in English Learner (EL) and DLBE education and/or master’s degrees in bilingual education, family and community biliteracy activities, evidence-based professional training, and policy priorities informed by project findings. Project PILAR focuses on:

• pre-service and in-service DLBE teachers and their EL students,
• instructional coaches,
• family liaisons,
• EL families,
• EL Directors,
• a DLBE teacher cadre,
• Indiana educators improving their capacities to teach in DLBE programs through evidence-based professional development, and
• educators participating in advocacy and policy activities for Indiana DLBE.

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Goals

Goal 1: Increase the number, quality, and capacity of pre-and in-service DLBE educators through EL and bilingual teacher preparation, EL licensure, Dual Language graduate certification, DLBE master’s degrees, and instructional coaching.

Goal 2: Engage DL bilingual families, district family liaisons, community organizations and pre-and in-service teachers to improve EL students’ development and maintenance of both Spanish and English oracy and biliteracy; include findings in in-service licensure courses.

Goal 3: Disseminate Project PILAR findings on evidence-based DLBE instructional practices, DLBE coaching techniques, and DLBE family literacy to three geographically-representative educational service centers to enhance instruction, coaching, and family literacy quality and outcomes within Indiana DLBE programs.

Goal 4: Develop and expand a statewide network, in cooperation with DLBE school and district administrators, instructional coaches, INTESOL and the IDOE’s Dual Language Network, community agencies, the PILAR teacher cadre, and Advisory Council to implement systematic change to DLBE policies.