Direct Instruction Drives Success for Bilingual Students at Houston Elementary School

Raymond Academy, a K–4 magnet school in the Aldine Independent School District near Houston, Texas, implemented McGraw Hill’s Direct Instruction programs to support its large population of English language learners (ELLs). The school serves approximately 915 students, 83% of whom are Hispanic, 8% African American, and 7% Caucasian; 84% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and 56% are ELLs.

Beginning in 2002–2003, the school introduced the Direct Instruction programs Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, and Reading Mastery in Kindergarten, expanding them through Grade 3 the following year. The bilingual reading initiative aimed to help students transition from Spanish to English while improving reading comprehension and English proficiency. Students new to English began in self-contained bilingual classrooms, while others moved between Spanish- and English-speaking classes to accelerate progress. Performance was measured using the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS), which evaluates reading comprehension and English proficiency for limited English proficient students. Results showed consistent improvement: the average TELPAS comprehension score rose from 1.7 in Kindergarten (2007) to 2.9 in Grade 1 (2008) and 3.1 in Grade 2 (2009). In 2009, 83% of Grade 2 bilingual students scored at the Advanced or Advanced High levels.

Educators noted that the structured, research-based programs allowed flexible grouping, individualized support, and improved student confidence. Raymond Academy earned Exemplary performance ratings from the Texas Education Agency for four consecutive years and national recognition from the U.S. Department of Education as a “Magnet School of Best Practices.”