The Tale of Two Cities: A Critical Spatial Analysis of Access to Two-Way Dual Language Programs in San Antonio and Austin

Texas is home to a burgeoning linguistically diverse population, which has contributed to the exponential growth of bilingual education programming across the state. One program type, two-way dual language (TWDL), has become a popular enrichment model of bilingual education and has received increased attention and funding at the state level. While bilingual education was originally intended to serve linguistically diverse, primarily Latinx, students, there is a growing body of research that suggests the rapid growth of TWDL has come to serve primarily white, affluent, English-dominant students. The present study sought to contribute to this research by examining the locations of TWDL within two major cities in Texas: San Antonio and Austin. This tale of two cities employed a critical race spatial analysis to describe TWDL locational patterns within San Antonio and Austin based on neighborhood demographics including race/ethnicity and socioeconomics. Findings suggest that access to TWDL in each city is based on differing factors, with the socio-historical contexts of San Antonio and Austin playing a major role in the accessibility of TWDL today. Implications for policy makers, city leaders, and district decision-makers are considered.