BRIDGING THE BILINGUAL STEM GAP: DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BISD MODEL IN K–5 TWO-WAY IMMERSION PROGRAMS

Abstract

Two-Way Immersion (TWI) programs have expanded significantly across the United States, with more than 3,600 programs operating in 44 states by 2021, the vast majority Spanish and English. Despite their proliferation, a critical curricular gap persists at the K-5 level: the near-total absence of structured, NGSS-aligned, Spanish-first science instructional frameworks designed specifically for the TWI pedagogical context. This practitioner-researcher study investigates the nature and scope of this gap through a two-year action research process conducted within the Los Puentes Two-Way Immersion Program at Greene County Intermediate School in rural North Carolina. Drawing on classroom observation data, student learning records, teacher surveys administered across three TWI-affiliated schools, and systematic review of commercially available bilingual science curricula, this study documents four interlocking deficits: the absence of structured scientific inquiry methodology in Spanish; the lack of experiential science protocols operable without laboratory infrastructure in under-resourced schools; the gap in structured protocols for collaborative digital learning in multilingual settings; and the absence of a transferable teacher curriculum guide designed for K-5 TWI contexts. In response to these documented deficits, the author developed the Bilingual STEM-Digital Integration (BISD) Model, a five-component instructional framework — IBICI, MACE, TIDE, BISD Guide, and FRAME — designed to be implemented across the full K-5 cycle in TWI programs regardless of infrastructure or resource level. Preliminary implementation data from the 2024-2025 academic year are presented. The study concludes with implications for bilingual STEM curriculum design, practitioner-researcher methodology, and federal education policy as it pertains to the STEM workforce pipeline.