2026 -- S 2555 SUBSTITUTE A

========

LC004710/SUB A

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE SUPPORT AND ACCESS TO BILINGUAL

EDUCATION ACT

     Introduced By: Senators McKenney, Ciccone, Vargas, Tikoian, Britto, Gu, Murray, and
Acosta

     Date Introduced: February 13, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by

adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 54.1

THE SUPPORT AND ACCESS TO BILINGUAL EDUCATION ACT

     16-54.1-1. Short title.

     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as “The Support and Access to Bilingual

Education Act.”

     16-54.1-2. Definitions.

     For the purposes of this chapter:

     (1) “Bilingual dual language teacher”, or “BDL teacher,” means a teacher who provides

integrated language and content instruction in a partner language only or in a partner language and

in English, appropriate to the instructional program model they teach in, and holds the appropriate

certification pursuant to regulation 200-RICR-20-20-1.

     (2) “Bilingual language instruction program model” or "Bilingual education program

model” is an approach that serves multilingual learners at all stages of English language

development and who share a common home/native language. The goal of this approach is

proficiency and literacy in English and a partner language, as well as content achievement in both

English and a partner language. Instruction is provided in both English and home/native or partner

language. The bilingual education approach consists of dedicated English language development

and integrated language and content instruction components and can be structured in any of the

instructional program models as defined by 200-RICR-20-30-3.

     (3) "Department" means the department of elementary and secondary education.

     (4) "Eligible teacher" means a full-time teacher certified to teach in a kindergarten through

grade twelve (K-12) school by the department of elementary and secondary education and is

actively teaching within a public school with a high-incidence of multilingual learners in

accordance with regulation 200-RICR-20-30-3.

     (5) "High incidence of multilingual learners" means a local educational agency with a

multilingual learners student population that meets at least one of the following two (2) criteria: (i)

Is greater than or equal to two hundred and fifty (250) total multilingual learners; or (ii) Is greater

than or equal to twenty percent (20%) of the local educational agency's total student population

pursuant to the Rhode Island regulations governing the education of multilingual learners (200-

RICR-20-30-3).

     (6) "Local education agency" or "LEA" shall have the same meaning as defined in § 16-

92-3.

     (7) "Multilingual individual" means an individual who has demonstrated advanced low or

higher proficiency in the target language of certification in accordance with the American Council

on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scale through any of the approved

seal of biliteracy language proficiency assessments including, but not limited to: ACT, SAT,

advanced placement (English language and composition, English literature and composition, and

world language), ACCESS, LAS Links (Form C/D), AAPPL, STAMP 4S, and ASLPI.

     (8) "Qualifying languages" means the most common languages other than English spoken

in the local education agency according to the U.S. Census Bureau and department data sources.

     (9) "State" means the State of Rhode Island.

     (10) "World language educator" means a person who is certified by the department of

elementary and secondary education as an all grades world language teacher in accordance with

regulation 200-RICR-20-20-1.

     16-54.1-3. Support and access to bilingual education act fund authorized.

     (a) The department shall establish and maintain a bilingual education support fund to

provide grants to traditional public school districts that establish and expand bilingual language

instruction program models; community-based organizations in collaboration with traditional

public school districts that establish and expand bilingual language instruction program models; or

institutions of higher education in partnership with traditional public school districts that establish

LC004710/SUB A - Page 2 of 5

and expand bilingual language instruction program models.

     (b) The fund shall consist of:

     (1) Appropriations made by the general assembly pursuant to this section;

     (2) Charitable contributions to the fund; and

     (3) Other sources deemed appropriate by the department.

     16-54.1-4. Implementation of traditional public school district dual language

programs.

     (a) Eligibility for applicants shall be a minimum of one the following:

     (1) A traditional public school district within the state;

     (2) A community-based organization working in partnership with one or more traditional

public school district(s) within the state; or

     (3) An institution of higher education (IHE) working in partnership with one or more

traditional public school district(s) within the state.

     (b) An applicant may be eligible to receive a grant pursuant to the provisions of this chapter

if:

     (1) The traditional public school district uses or is planning to create a high-quality

bilingual language instruction program model in accordance with chapter 54 of title 16 (“education

of limited English proficient students”) and in accordance with regulations promulgated pursuant

thereto.

     (2) The LEA has a high incidence of multilingual learners as defined in 200-RICR-20-30-

3. For purposes of this section, the qualifying language(s) of instruction, in addition to English,

shall be determined based on the predominant home language(s) of the multilingual learner (MLL)

student population.

     (3) The LEA develops and commits to an immediate or gradual staffing plan to support the

kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) dual language program.

     (c) Traditional public school districts are encouraged to leverage existing funds including

the state share of the MLL funding formula distribution and federal funds.

     (d) Traditional public school district, community-based organization, and institution of

higher education recipients funded pursuant to § 16-54.1-3, shall utilize such monies for dual

language program planning and implementation activities including, but not limited to:

     (1) Partnering with education professionals and organizations to design programs;

     (2) Developing and executing professional development for administrators and instructors;

or

     (3) Traditional public school districts self-evaluation program planning and

LC004710/SUB A - Page 3 of 5

implementation of staffing needs including, but not limited to:

     (i) Providing financial support for bilingual dual language and world language teacher

certification;

     (ii) Providing in-service educator dual language professional development;

     (iii) Procuring high-quality curricular materials to enhance dual language instruction; and

     (iv) Other activities designed to facilitate or promote the LEA’s existing or emerging dual

language programs.

     (e) Only programs that adhere to high quality dual language program standards shall be

funded.

     16-54.1-5. Strategy and support to expand teaching certifications for bilingual dual

language and world language teachers.

     (a) The department shall collaborate with the office of the postsecondary commissioner,

and in consultation with any approved educator preparation program, to increase and streamline

the issuance of world language and bilingual dual language certifications for purposes of increasing

the number of bilingual dual language and world language teachers in LEAs with a high incidence

of multilingual learners as defined in 200-RICR-20-30-3.

     (b) Eligibility for applicants shall be at a minimum one of the following:

     (1) A traditional public school district within the state;

     (2) A community-based organization working in partnership with one or more traditional

public school district(s) within the state; or

     (3) An institution of higher education (IHE) working in partnership with one or more

traditional public school district(s) within the state.

     (c) An applicant may be eligible to receive a grant pursuant to the provisions of this chapter

if:

     (1) Support for teacher certification costs are granted to multilingual individuals who plan

to teach in a traditional public school district and use, or is planning to create, a high-quality

bilingual language instruction program model in accordance with chapter 54 of title 16 (“education

of limited English proficient students”) and further in accordance with regulations promulgated

pursuant thereto;

     (2) The LEA has a high incidence of multilingual learners as defined in 200-RICR-20-30-

3; or

     (3) The qualifying language(s) of instruction, in addition to English, shall be determined

based on the predominant home language(s) of the multilingual learner student population.

LC004710/SUB A - Page 4 of 5

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

========

LC004710/SUB A

========

LC004710/SUB A - Page 5 of 5

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE SUPPORT AND ACCESS TO BILINGUAL

EDUCATION ACT

***

     This act would require the department of elementary and secondary education to establish

a bilingual education support fund to provide grants to traditional public school districts that

establish and expand bilingual language instruction program model.

     This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

========

LC004710/SUB A

========

LC004710/SUB A - Page 6 of 5