Overview

• California banned bilingual education for nearly 20 years, with the prohibition only reversed by voters in 2016 through Proposition 58.
• The state’s efforts to reintroduce bilingual education have been hampered by a severe shortage of trained bilingual teachers, a lingering effect of the ban.
• While research shows dual-language programs improve academic outcomes and English proficiency, only 10% of English learners in California are enrolled in such programs, compared to 40% in Texas.
• The California Legislature has provided limited funding for bilingual education, with only $10 million allocated to expand dual-language programs, far less than other states like Massachusetts with smaller immigrant populations.
• Advocates call for systemic reforms, including increased funding, streamlined teacher credentialing, and statewide mandates, to meet the state’s goal of fostering bilingualism in half of its students by 2030.