2025 -- S 0785
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BILINGUAL, DUAL LANGUAGE AND WORLD
LANGUAGE TEACHERS IN VESTMENT ACT
Introduced By: Senators Vargas, Lawson, Mack, DiPalma, Zurier, McKenney, and
Acosta
Date Introduced: March 14, 2025
Referred To: Senate Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Findings of fact. 1
(1) The demographic divide in which there are less bilingual, dual language and world 2
language teachers and more multilingual students is of growing public concern. 3
(2) Currently, multilingual students comprise twenty-seven percent (27%) of students in 4
Rhode Island’s urban core student population and sixteen percent (16%) of Rhode Island’s 5
statewide student population (Rhode Island Kids Count, 2024). 6
(3) Only two percent (2%) of multilingual learners are enrolled in dual language programs 7
and comprise a large portion of urban core and urban ring school students. 8
(5) A common explanation of why the demographic divide is so concerning is that 9
multilingual students benefit most from instruction from teachers that are certified in bilingual, dual 10
language and world language. 11
(6) More students benefiting from dual language instruction may, in turn, translate into 12
better academic outcomes such as student motivation, improved interest in academics, consistent 13
attendance, and grades. 14
(7) Bilingual, dual language and world language teachers represent excellent role models 15
and provide a continuous source of inspiration for not only multilingual students, but all students. 16
(8) Linguistic separation and isolation can be countered through significant investment in 17
bilingual, dual language and world language teachers that will deliver academic content through 18
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multiple languages. 1
(9) Students learn important societal lessons through the example of cooperative interracial 2
and interethnic relationships among teachers. 3
(10) It is in the best interest of the state, its residents, and its students to develop and support 4
certified bilingual, dual language and world language teachers. The Rhode Island Blueprint for a 5
Multilingual Learner Success (2021) calls for a nimble system that "Secures and allocates human 6
and fiscal resources to support high-quality core instruction to meet the diverse needs of MLLs, 7
including professional learning opportunities for all teachers and administrators." 8
(11) Support for increased preparation and training of bilingual, dual language and world 9
language teachers can successfully be leveraged by providing direct financial support to public 10
institutions of higher education in Rhode Island working to increase the number of certified 11
bilingual, dual language and world language teachers. 12
SECTION 2. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by 13
adding thereto the following chapter: 14
CHAPTER 117 15
BILINGUAL AND DUAL LANGUAGE AND WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHERS 16
INVESTMENT ACT 17
16-117-1. Short title. 18
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Bilingual and Dual Language and 19
World Language Teachers Investment Act". 20
16-117-2. Definitions. 21
When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following 22
meanings: 23
(1) "Bilingual and dual language educator" means a person who is certified by the 24
department of elementary and secondary education as a bilingual and dual language teacher in any 25
grade in accordance with the department of education regulation 200-RICR-20-20-1. 26
(2) "Eligible teacher" means a full-time teacher certified to teach in a kindergarten through 27
grade twelve (K-12) school by the department of elementary and secondary education and is 28
actively teaching within a public school located in the urban core or urban ring. 29
(3) "FAFSA" means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form; 30
(4) “Initial teacher certification programs” means Rhode Island approved educator 31
preparation programs that lead to full initial certification in Rhode Island. 32
(5) "Mandatory fees and tuition" means the costs that every student is required to pay in 33
order to enroll in classes, and does not include room and board, textbooks, program fees that may 34
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exist in some majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses, meal plans, or travel; 1
(6) "Multilingual adult" means an adult who has demonstrated advanced low or higher 2
proficiency in the target language of certification in accordance with the American Council on the 3
Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scale through any of the approved Seal of 4
Biliteracy language proficiency assessments including, but not limited to: ACT, SAT, Advanced 5
Placement (English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, and World 6
Language), ACCESS, LAS Links (Form C/D), AAPPL, STAMP 4S, and ASLPI. 7
(7) "Multilingual learner" means a student who speaks a language other than English at 8
home. 9
(8) "Recipient student" means a college student attending Rhode Island College or the 10
University of Rhode Island enrolled in a certification program for world language or bilingual and 11
dual language and is awarded a scholarship pursuant to the provisions of § 16-117-4. 12
(9) "Recipient teacher" means an eligible teacher who is awarded a scholarship pursuant to 13
the provisions of § 16-117-6. 14
(10) "Scholarship" or "scholarship program" means the scholarship program that is 15
established pursuant to § 16-117-4 to promote and increase the quantity of bilingual, dual language 16
and world language teachers in urban core and urban ring public schools. 17
(11) "State" means the State of Rhode Island. 18
(12) "Urban core" means the municipalities of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, 19
Woonsocket and Newport. 20
(13) "Urban ring" means the municipalities of Cranston, Warwick, West Warwick, North 21
Providence and East Providence. 22
(14) "World language educator" means a person who is certified by the department of 23
elementary and secondary education as an All Grades World Language teacher in accordance with 24
the department of education regulation 200-RICR-20-20-1. 25
16-117-3. Strategy to expand teaching certifications for bilingual dual language and 26
world language teachers. 27
The department of education is hereby empowered and directed to collaborate with the 28
office of the postsecondary commissioner and in consultation with Rhode Island college (RIC) and 29
the university of Rhode Island (URI) to increase and streamline the issuance of world language or 30
bilingual and dual language certifications in order to increase the number of bilingual and dual 31
language and world language teachers in urban core and urban ring public schools. 32
16-117-4. Scholarship program for college students. 33
(a) Beginning November 1, 2025, there is hereby established a scholarship program within 34
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the office of the postsecondary commissioner to promote and increase the number of bilingual, dual 1
language and world language teachers in urban core and urban ring public schools. 2
(b) The general assembly shall annually appropriate, commencing in fiscal year 2026, the 3
sum of five hundred thousand ($500,000) to implement the scholarship purposes of this chapter. 4
Additional funds beyond the scholarships may be appropriated to support and advance the 5
scholarship program established pursuant to the provisions of this section. In order to support 6
administrative, recruitment, and implementation efforts, an amount not to exceed fifty thousand 7
dollars ($50,000) shall be used as discretionary funds by the office of the postsecondary 8
commissioner. Any unexpended discretionary funds shall revert to their original purpose of 9
providing scholarships. In addition to appropriations by the general assembly, charitable donations 10
may be accepted into the scholarship program. 11
(c) The office of the postsecondary commissioner, in conjunction with the financial aid 12
office at RIC and URI, shall administer the scholarship program for state residents seeking 13
bilingual, dual language or world language teacher certification who meet the eligibility 14
requirements in subsection (d) of this section. 15
(d) To be eligible for receipt of the scholarship, a student: 16
(1) Shall be pursuing a bilingual dual language or world language teacher certification as 17
part of the teacher preparation program at RIC or URI; 18
(2) Shall commit to work full-time as a teacher within one year of certification completion 19
at an urban core or urban ring public school in Rhode Island. The commitment to work full-time 20
shall extend to one year of teaching for each year the recipient received and accepted an award of 21
scholarship pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; 22
(3) Shall qualify for in-state tuition and fees pursuant to the residency policy adopted by 23
the council on postsecondary education, as amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified 24
from time to time ("residency policy"); 25
(4) Shall complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification or the Rhode Island 26
alternative application for state postsecondary student financial assistance by the deadline 27
prescribed by RIC and URI for each year in which the student seeks to receive funding under the 28
scholarship program. 29
(5) Shall maintain an average annual cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or 30
greater, as determined by RIC and URI; 31
(6) Shall commit to a repayment of all funds received by the scholarship program if the 32
recipient student fails to complete or comply with all requirements and provisions of this chapter. 33
(e) The office of the postsecondary commissioner, in conjunction with RIC and URI, shall 34
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develop a policy and procedure to secure the commitments referenced in § 16-117-4 from recipient 1
students. 2
(f) Every scholarship awarded pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be calculated 3
annually. Each applicant and/or recipient student shall complete the FAFSA and any required 4
FAFSA verification by the deadline prescribed by RIC and URI for each year of attendance. The 5
scholarship award shall cover the annual cost of mandatory fees and tuition, less federal and all 6
other financial aid monies available to the recipient student. Once awarded, the scholarship may 7
continue for a period of up to two (2) years conditioned on the recipient student's compliance with 8
the provisions of this section. 9
(g) All scholarships awarded pursuant to the provisions of this section are subject to 10
appropriation, and no applicant shall have a right to receive any scholarship pursuant to the 11
provisions of this section until awarded. 12
16-117-5. Scholarship award preference for college students. 13
In selecting recipient students of the scholarship established pursuant to § 16-117-4, 14
preference shall be given to the following applicants: 15
(1) Multilingual adults with a bachelor’s degree from the United States or abroad; or 16
(2) Multilingual adults enrolled in an initial teacher certification program. 17
16-117-6. Scholarship program for eligible teachers. 18
(a) Beginning November 1, 2025, there is hereby established a scholarship program within 19
the office of the postsecondary commissioner to promote and increase the number of bilingual, dual 20
language and world language teachers in urban core and urban ring public schools. 21
(b) The general assembly shall annually appropriate, commencing in fiscal year 2026, the 22
sum of five hundred thousand ($500,000) to implement the scholarship purposes of this chapter. 23
Additional funds beyond the scholarships may be appropriated to support and advance the 24
scholarship program established pursuant to the provisions of this section. In order to support 25
administrative, recruitment, and implementation efforts, an amount not to exceed fifty thousand 26
dollars ($50,000) shall be used as discretionary funds by the office of the postsecondary 27
commissioner. Any unexpended discretionary funds shall revert to their original purpose of 28
providing scholarships. In addition to appropriation by the general assembly, charitable donations 29
may be accepted into the scholarship program. 30
(c) The office of the postsecondary commissioner, in conjunction with the financial aid 31
office at RIC and URI, shall administer the scholarship program for state residents seeking 32
bilingual, dual language or world language teacher certification who meet the eligibility 33
requirements in subsection (d) of this section. 34
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(d) To be eligible for receipt of the scholarship, an eligible teacher: 1
(1) Shall be actively teaching full-time at a kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) 2
public school located in the urban core or urban ring. 3
(2) Shall already be certified in early childhood, elementary, middle grades, secondary 4
grades, or all grades by the department of elementary and secondary education in accordance with 5
the department of education regulation 200-RICR-20-20-1. 6
(3) Shall complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification or the Rhode Island 7
alternative application for state postsecondary student financial assistance by the deadline 8
prescribed by RIC and URI for each year in which the student seeks to receive funding under the 9
scholarship program; 10
(3) Shall maintain an average annual cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or 11
greater, as determined by RIC and URI; 12
(4) Shall commit to a repayment of all funds received by the scholarship program if the 13
recipient teacher fails to complete or comply with all requirements and provisions of this chapter. 14
(e) The office of the postsecondary commissioner, in conjunction with RIC and URI, shall 15
develop a policy and procedure to secure the commitments referenced in § 16-117-6 from eligible 16
teachers. 17
16-117-7. Promulgation of rules and procedure. 18
The office of the postsecondary commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and 19
regulations to effectuate the purpose of this chapter. In addition, RIC and URI shall establish appeal 20
procedures for the award, denial, repayment, or revocation of a scholarship award pursuant to the 21
provisions of §§ 16-117-4 and 16-117-6. 22
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on November 1, 2025. 23
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BILINGUAL, DUAL LANGUAGE AND WORLD
LANGUAGE TEACHERS IN VESTMENT ACT
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This act would authorize the office of the postsecondary commissioner to expand the 1
issuance of bilingual, dual language and world teacher certificates in urban core and urban ring 2
public schools by establishing two (2) scholarship programs, one for college students and one for 3
eligible teachers. The act would include detailed eligibility requirements and disbursement 4
requirements for Rhode Island college (RIC) and the university of Rhode Island (URI). In addition, 5
the act would permit charitable donations to the scholarship program as well as require an annual 6
appropriation of one million dollars ($1,000,000) by the general assembly. 7
This act would take effect on November 1, 2025. 8
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