Ximena Franco-Jenkins, PhD, is a senior research scientist at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) and Co-Director of FPG's National Implementation Research Network (NIRN). With more than 20 years of experience in research evaluation and implementation science, her work focuses on high-quality dual language programs, enhancing socio-emotional and academic outcomes for multilingual learners, and improving early childhood education quality.

Franco-Jenkins currently co-leads an IES-funded study examining associations between the language of instruction and academic outcomes in Spanish-English dual-language academic settings. Within NIRN, she leads a study focused on evaluating the effective implementation of seven high-quality middle-year math curricula across 19 school districts in the U.S. targeting Latino/a and Black students living in poverty, students designated as English learners, and students with disabilities, and is also PI of the Meck Pre-K evaluation study.

Previously, Franco-Jenkins served as co-PI on the randomized controlled trial of the Nuestros Niños School Readiness Program funded by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development to test the efficacy of a professional development intervention for teachers of dual language learners in preschool programs in three states.

This month, the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) will be hosting its 55th Annual International Bilingual Education Conference—and Franco-Jenkins will be there giving four presentations on work she’s conducted with colleagues from FPG and other institutions.

On Wednesday, February 11, she will give three presentations:

• From 8:00 - 8:50 am, "English Learners’ Math Experiences: A Study During Year 3 of Math Curriculum Implementation." Authors/presenters: Ximena Franco-Jenkins, Megan Bookhout, Jake Leonard, and Hanuel Jung.
• From 1:20 - 2:10 pm, "Classroom and Home Contexts of Spanish-English Young Bilingual Children Socioemotional Development." Authors/presenters: Cristina Gillanders, Ximena Franco-Jenkins, and J.M Chavez.
• From 2:20 - 3:10 pm, "The Nuestros Niños Program: Teaching Bilingual Children in Early Childhood Education." Authors/presenters: Dina Castro, Cristina Gillanders, and Ximena Franco-Jenkins.

And, on Friday, February 13 at 9:30 am, Franco-Jenkins, along with Andrew Gadaire, and Dore LaForett will present “Building Bridges: Fostering Connections to Maximize Dual Language Immersion Benefits.”  

To learn more about Franco-Jenkins work, read the following:

• FPG Researchers and colleagues consider Book Babies
• FPG announces 2026 Thelma Harms Early Childhood Education Award recipients
• Recipients of FPG Next pilot funding announced
• NIRN releases Research & Evaluation Agenda
• BEE Project team contributes new knowledge on bilingual education
• New evaluation study will look at MECK Pre-K Program
• FPG Scientist Ximena Franco Discusses the Benefits of Bilingualism for the "Latino Educational Achievement Partnership"