PSJA expands dual‑language CTE courses and highlights student success in Seal of Biliteracy

PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD (PSJA) Dual Language Director Olivia Martinez said the district has expanded career-and-technical-education courses taught in Spanish so students can develop technical skills and bilingual communication valued by employers.

"We have about 10 courses that are being offered in Spanish," Martinez said, adding that last year the district started with about eight. She said embedding dual-language instruction into CTE classes — for example, offering welding or other technical pathways in Spanish — gives graduates "that edge" when seeking jobs because they can serve Spanish- and English-speaking customers.

Martinez credited district leadership, including Dr. Alejandro Elias, and a "grow your own" staffing approach in which many bilingual teachers are former PSJA students who return as biliterate instructors. That continuity, she said, makes it possible to add dual-language sections as qualified teachers become available.

The district also flagged progress in biliteracy credentials. "The Seal of Biliteracy — we started in 2009 — this year is our eighteenth cohort, and we're about 550 students strong," Martinez said, noting that universities and employers recognize the credential. She said students who continue at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley receive two credits toward UTRGV's own seal of biliteracy.

Martinez described rising academic participation among multilingual learners: higher rates of AP and college-course enrollment and greater participation in CTE pathways. She said students can enter the dual-language program as early as Pre‑K3 and that non–dual-language students are permitted to enroll in bilingual CTE classes as well.

On extracurricular achievement, Martinez outlined PSJA's district spelling competition (a Spanish-language orthography contest) in which 33 schools competed. She named two elementary students who qualified for the state-level competition in El Paso in June: Mateo Salinas of Chavez Elementary and Melanie Rodriguez of Dodine's. Martinez said students prepare after school using lists provided by the regional organizers and that teachers and parents commit extra practice time.

Martinez framed the expansion as widening postsecondary and career opportunities: bilingual, biliterate students can pursue technical careers while also having the academic preparation to seek AP courses, college, certificates or university degrees.

The episode closed with Martinez thanking teachers, principals and families for supporting students and noting the district will continue to expand dual-language opportunities.