Join the EIR Mid-Phase Grant Program with TxCEE!
Region 18 Education Service Center’s Texas Center for Educator Excellence (ESC 18-TxCEE) is excited to invite middle school campuses to join the Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Mid-Phase grant program. This opportunity aims to enhance professional development and improve classroom instruction for Emergent Bilingual (EB) students in grades 6-8.
Through the MS CLASS (Middle School Collaborative Language Acquisition Strategies for Success) project, participating schools will benefit from innovative professional learning activities tailored to support EB students’ success. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this transformative initiative and elevate your school’s educational impact!
Why Participate in MS CLASS?
Participating in the MS CLASS program offers numerous benefits for teachers and students alike, especially for those working with Emergent Bilingual (EB) students. Here’s what you can expect:
Project Activities
During the spring and summer, we’ll engage stakeholders to refine evidence-based EB strategies tailored to your school’s specific needs.
All teachers at partner campuses will join weekly CLCs to integrate and reflect on new learning experiences in the classroom.
New teachers will benefit from weekly mentoring sessions to help them thrive in their roles.
Teacher leaders can enhance their skills by leading CLCs or mentoring novice teachers, fostering a culture of growth and collaboration.
Participants will receive extensive support, including a summer institute before the implementation year, monthly coaching visits, virtual CLCs for teacher leaders, and TEEMS technical assistance.
Schools will take part in an evaluation study to assess project implementation and outcomes, providing insights for future replication and improvement.
Study Design
Our research partner, American Institutes for Research (AIR), will conduct a rigorous evaluation using a randomized control trial. While all grade 6-8 teachers participate in MS CLASS, only English Language Arts (ELA) and Math teachers will participate in data collection. In cohort 1, schools selected by lottery will participate in MS CLASS during the 2025–26 school year, while the remaining schools will continue with their regular activities. In 2026–27, the control group from Cohort 1 will participate in the program. Cohort 2 schools will be selected by lottery to participate during the 2026-27 or 2027-28 school year.
How Do I Participate?
If your district has middle school campuses with 20% or greater population of Emergent Bilingual students as well as a willingness to engage in project and research activities, please complete the brief contact form below to let us know you are interested!
To Learn More About TxCEE…
Contact Jessica Navarro at jenavarro@txcee.org or 512-538-0643 to learn more about this opportunity or other TxCEE services.