Date of Award
2026
Degree Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Education, PhD
Program
School of Educational Studies
Advisor/Supervisor/Committee Chair
Claudia Bermúdez
Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member
Thomas Luschei
Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member
Frances Gipson
Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member
Aida Molina
Terms of Use & License Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Rights Information
© 2026 Mayra C. Orozco
Keywords
Bilingual Education Policy, Biliteracy Pathway Recognitions, Dual Language Immersion, Elementary, Middle School, Structured English Immersion
Subject Categories
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
Abstract
This qualitative nested case study examined how Biliteracy Pathway Recognitions (BPRs) are implemented and accessed for Latine Linguistically Expanding Learners (LExLs) in one Southern California school district. Although California has expanded opportunities for students to earn recognitions that value bilingualism and biliteracy, little research has examined how these policies are implemented at the elementary and middle school level and how families navigate access to these opportunities. Guided by Honig’s (2006) policy implementation framework of policy, people, and places and Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) model, this study explored how district and school personnel implemented BPR policies and how families accessed and navigated information about biliteracy pathways. Using a nested case study design across four elementary school sites, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with county, district, and site administrators, teachers, and office personnel, as well as diálogos with parents of LExL and English-only students across Dual Language Immersion (DLI) and Structured English Immersion (SEI) contexts. Document analysis of district communications, board documents, and program materials provided additional context. Data were analyzed through multiple rounds of deductive and inductive coding to identify patterns and themes across participant groups. Findings revealed that access to BPR was shaped not only by policy eligibility but also by the ways information was communicated, interpreted, and operationalized across district and school contexts. Implementation was not uniform as practices varied by program model. In DLI settings, pathways toward biliteracy recognition were embedded within the program structure, making access more automatic for students. In contrast, SEI settings required families to actively seek out information and complete additional requirements, creating uneven access. Additionally, families’ awareness and participation were mediated by relationships with school personnel and by parents’ ability to leverage forms of CCW, including linguistic, social, navigational, and resistant capital. Informal communication channels, such as interaction with teachers, office staff, school language coordinators, and school messaging platforms, played a critical role in either facilitating or limiting access. This study contributes to research on bilingual education policy implementation by highlighting how school structures, leadership practices, language program models, and communication systems shape equitable access to biliteracy opportunities for Latine LExLs. Findings suggest that without intentional design and consistent implementation across program models, early biliteracy recognitions risk reproducing inequities rather than expanding access. Furthermore, access to early biliteracy plays a critical role in supporting the maintenance and development of students’ home languages and positioning students toward future attainment of the Seal of Biliteracy. Implications are offered for state, county, district, and site leaders seeking to design more equitable and accessible biliteracy pathways in K–8 educational settings.
ISBN
9798247941521
Recommended Citation
Orozco, Mayra C.. (2026). When Hearts Beat in Two Languages: Enabling Access to Biliteracy Pathway Recognitions for Latine Linguistically Expanding Learners (LExLs) in K-8 Schools Across a Southern California School District. CGU Theses & Dissertations, 1119. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/1119.
