A new bill making its way through California’s Legislature could create the state’s first dual language immersion coordinator – furthering Gov. Gavin Newsom’s initiative to strengthen bilingual education by the end of the decade.
Assembly Bill 2332, introduced by Assemblymember Mark González, D-Los Angeles, calls for the California Department of Education to bridge the gap between state and local educational agencies in an effort to better facilitate resources and knowledge of dual immersion programs.
Dual language immersion (DLI) is a form of education where students are taught to read, speak and write in two or more languages. According to the National Library of Medicine, offering bilingual programs boosts academic achievement across the board for all students regardless of their backgrounds and home languages.
“If we want our communities to put their trust in us, then we must show that we are willing to invest in what works,” González said in a news release. “We must streamline these programs, rather than allowing bureaucracy to drain time and energy from our already overburdened educators.”
In the central San Joaquin Valley, only 13% of school districts offer this type of learning. Recent polls show that parents of English learners in the Valley overwhelmingly want dual immersion programs in classrooms. A report from the Century Foundation last year found that one of the largest barriers for parents was the lack of access to nearby dual language programs.
“California is home to more than 200 languages, and diversity is our strength,” said joint author Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, in the release. “AB 2332 makes clear that every student who wants to learn in more than one language should have that opportunity.”
The bill currently stands with support from multiple educational institutions, including the California Association for Bilingual Education, California Charter Schools Association, and Californians Together – which works with a variety of Valley-based organizations, like the Central Valley Multilingual Consortium. There are no groups currently listed in opposition.
The bill would require the position to be designated by July 1, 2027.
Laying the groundwork for bilingual education
The state appropriated $10 million in 2021 to administer the Dual Language Immersion Grant Program to expand access for dual language learning, according to the bill.
Under that program, the state department of education is required to give at least 25 one-time grants over three years to establish and grow DLI programs across California.
If implemented, AB 2332 would require the DLI coordinator to work as a point of contact within the state department of education for local agencies to establish and continue the growth of DLI. It would also require the state department to create and maintain a directory of operative programs by Jan. 1, 2028.
A similar bill from last year, AB 865, would have established grant programs to increase instructional materials partner languages to help facilitate DLIs at local levels, with the state department to oversee progress. It failed in appropriations committee hearings over its high price tag.
Estela Arreola, colead of the Central Valley Multilingual Consortium, said the coordinator role “will set the groundwork” for what could happen in the next few years in education.
“We want things that are going to be sustainable and long term,” she said.
Arreola said the role is essential in streamlining the implementation process of DLI – which is growing in popularity in the region. A recent proposed shuttering of a DLI program in Merced amassed community uproar, leading to parents petitioning for it to be saved.
“There’s a lot of great work around [DLI] programming throughout the state, and some are further along in their path of dual immersion coursework,” said Adolfo Lopez, colead of the consortium. “Having someone that will bring that insight and create connections is going to be important for schools who want dual immersion in the future.”
The bill is heading to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for further discussion.