Project AVANZA is guided by the belief that "...for our Nation and our world, we must build the mind and character of every child from every background in every part of America."

Canutillo Independent School District received $1.4 million over a five-year period (2000-2006) to implement a Comprehensive School Grant - Project AVANZA.

Funding from the U.S. Department of Education is helping Canutillo ISD move forward a reform agenda to improve the instructional program for more than 1,500 English learners served in four elementary schools (K-6). Project AVANZA's main objective is to reform, restructure and upgrade the instructional program for all language minority students and language majority students through the implementation of a Two-Way Bilingual Program. Project AVANZA is driven by a coherent long-term plan by Canutillo ISD to replace transitional bilingual education programs with additive, enrichment forms of bilingual education --two-way and one-way programs--for the purpose of improving student achievement.

The evidence is compelling and the need is clear. Two-way and one-way program models are powerful educational programs where children can become fully bilingual and biliterate while attaining high levels of academic success.

Teacher Professional Development

Our central goal is to provide the highest quality of professional preparation for all teachers in the Canutillo ISD. Decades of research and practice affirm that the single most effective means to improve student academic achievement is to enhance teacher quality and competence. Based on these findings, AVANZA's Teacher Training Calendar emphasizes themes such as the constructivist approach to teaching, critical thinking and creativity, cooperative learning, bilingual education models, second language acquisition theory & practice and Spanish reading strategies. Through these training sessions, teachers have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge to promote the development of culturally responsible and responsive curricula that strengthen classroom practices and techniques with theory that fosters students opportunities to become truly bilingual, biliterate and bicultural.

Educators in Canutillo ISD have the opportunity to share innovative methodologies with colleagues during numerous formal presentations at local, state, and national conferences.

Parental Involvement

We believe that the positive results of involving parents in their children's schooling include improved academic achievement, reduced absenteeism, improved behavior, and restored confidence among parents in their children's education. Guided by this belief, parental engagement is promoted through activities such as Parents Power Nights. In collaboration with Project PODEMOS, which is a project funded by Met Life Insurance and administrated by The University of Texas at El Paso, we are able to conduct parent institutes that engage families in projects that promote the participation of all family members in fun learning activities.

In an effort to involve parents and community members to ensure that all students reach high academic standards, Project AVANZA promotes the participation of parents during the Annual BEEMS Two-Way Bilingual Program Conference. This event is co-sponsored by The University of Texas at El Paso and Canutillo ISD and includes a focused strand of presentations and other activities for parents and other school community members.

In order to promote the implementation of a trainer of trainers' model to build sustainability and to maximize training opportunities for parents, Project AVANZA provides the opportunity for parents to attend the Texas Association for Bilingual Education conference, and the National Association for Bilingual Education conference. These state and national conferences allow parents to attend intellectually challenging sessions that promote dialogue that stretch the heart and mind.

Parents participate in the implementation of Cículos de Lectura (Reading Club) which is a program designed to encourage parents to become more literate in Spanish. The Mexican Consulate donated 150 Spanish titled books to each elementary campus in order for parents to have access to high quality Spanish literature. In addition, Canutillo ISD provides numerous opportunities for parents to participate in English as a Second Language class and offers computer literacy classes as well.

Advanced Degree Program

Program staff is partnering with the University of Texas at El Paso, and New Mexico State University to develop a course of study which focuses on enhancing the theoretical and research knowledge of educators in our school district. A cohort of educators are presently pursuing a Master's Degree with emphasis in Two-Way Bilingual Education in order to better integrate a multicultural curriculum and enhance our students' learning experiences.

As we face the challenges of a new era, we are reminded that equal opportunities in education provide the foundation for a strong and vibrant society. A cohort of 5 teachers and administrators are engaged in Doctoral level studies to develop the leadership skills that are necessary to fulfill the promise of democracy and equity through multicultural education.

Longitudinal Study

One of Project AVANZA's objectives is to conduct a longitudinal investigation of Canutillo ISD's instructional program for Spanish- dominant students and English-speaking students who are developing their cognitive, linguistic, and cultural abilities together through two languages. The major components of this study are the compilation of student assessment data, and the interpretation of the collected data. Results of this five-year comprehensive study will guide decisions regarding program implementation in our school district and will help administrators interested in developing research-based two-way bilingual program models.