Demographic silencing, ableism, and racialization in dual language bilingual education: A call for intersectional and program-level data reporting to assess gentrification

Abstract

Drawing on a LangCrit perspective conscious of overlapping (or intersectional) processes of privilege and marginalization, we used a QuantCrit-informed critical discourse analysis to assess how the websites of 12 of the largest US school districts were communicating student demographics related to their dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs across race, socioeconomics, ability, and English-learner designation. Findings show that explicitly DLBE-related documents never referred to student demographic percentages and none of the data portals could show overlapping demographic categories. Only one district offered program-level data, which suggested starkly lower inclusion of students with disabilities compared to school-level and district-level data. School-level data for other districts suggested equal to equitable access in all categories except ability. We call for (1) more research and advocacy to rectify demographic exclusions and (2) program-level reporting that can show overlapping demographics so that the public can better check for equity in special programs like DLBE.