In the El Paso, Texas, area (a binational community with a growing Mexican American population), bilingual programs operate in almost every public school and the need for certified bilingual teachers is increasing. As of 1981-82, 424 teachers had received bilingual certification based on teaching experience rather than organized university training, and many fewer had been certified through the full 24-hour or minimum 12-hour university program. An elementary teacher education program at the University of Texas at El Paso College of Education is designed to reverse the trend toward minimum standards for bilingual teachers and raise teacher competence levels for improved instructional programs. Bilingual education is now available as a standard teaching field with enhanced in-depth preparation and field practica. In 1982-83, the university certified 23% of all graduating elementary education majors in bilingual education through this program, and certified 34% of former graduates through the minimum 12-hour program. Student reluctance to enroll in the program is ascribed to fear that bilingual education will disappear, and some students resist committing more time and energy to preparation in a field that receives no extra pay. However, in Houston and in El Paso's Yeleta Independent School District, certified bilingual teachers receive up to $1,500 in salary increments for their specialized training, and the approach of rewarding teachers for better preparation is recommended as a means to achieving excellence in bilingual education programs. (MSE)