Content area
The state of Delaware has a Dual Language Immersion program serving students from different backgrounds and varying socioeconomic statuses with a wide range of diverse needs. The state has ever-increasing difficulty finding qualified teachers who also speak the target language of the program, in this case, Spanish. As a result, districts within the state turn to other countries, mainly Spain, to hire teachers on temporary visas. These teachers hired to teach in the immersion classrooms arrive in the United States with teaching backgrounds different from those in the American educator prep programs and are often unaware of how to support students identified with special needs in these settings. Identifying and addressing the professional development needs related to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and support for special needs students in the dual language immersion program is critical. This study examines the impact of providing necessary training to Spanish immersion teachers to expand their ability to interpret IEPs and address the needs of students with IEPs specifically in the area of mathematics.