Education Code section 44259.4
(a)
(1)There is hereby established the Pathways to Bilingual Teaching Program, to be administered by the commission, for the purpose of increasing the number of California teachers qualified to teach in bilingual settings.(2)
The sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the commission for allocation pursuant to this section for grant awards to be used through the 2031–32 fiscal year.(b)
(1)The commission shall develop and implement a program to award, on a competitive basis, grants of up to six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000), which may be expended over six years, to consortia of local educational agencies to form, pursuant to subdivision (c), consortia with four-year institutions of higher education or consortia with four-year institutions of higher education and community colleges, for the purpose of establishing or expanding existing pathways to bilingual teaching to enable bilingual candidates to earn a multiple subject, single subject, PK-3 early childhood education specialist, or education specialist credential, with a bilingual authorization.(2)
The commission shall give priority for grants to consortia of local educational agencies whose applications demonstrate a high need for teachers with a bilingual authorization by meeting one or both of the following:(A)
The consortium of local educational agencies includes one or more local educational agencies with a high concentration of pupils who are English language learners.(B)
The consortium of local educational agencies includes one or more local educational agencies located in a rural area or a geographic region experiencing an acute systemic shortage of teachers with a bilingual authorization, characterized by a significant gap between available teacher preparation programs and the needs of local pupils who are English language learners.(3)
For purposes of this section, “pathway to bilingual teaching” means an articulated, guided sequence of secondary education, postsecondary education, and teacher preparation, including preparation to earn a bilingual authorization, leading to employment as a bilingual teacher.(c)
A consortium of local educational agencies receiving a grant pursuant to subdivision (b) shall develop and implement a broader consortium through a partnership with one or more four-year institutions of higher education, or one or more four-year institutions of higher education and one or more community colleges. The broader consortium formed pursuant to this subdivision shall do all of the following:(1)
Recruit bilingual candidates by local educational agencies for the pathway to bilingual teaching based on candidates’ interest in teaching, including, but not limited to, current paraprofessionals and classified employees.(2)
To the extent feasible, develop pathways to bilingual teaching for high school pupils with experience working in after school programs, participating in a career technical education pathway in education, or participating in future teacher clubs, and for candidates who are likely to meet the eligibility criteria to receive the State Seal of Biliteracy.(3)
Partner with at least one of the following:(A)
A community college or four-year institution of higher education to use dual enrollment, including early and middle college programs, to enable these candidates to earn part or all of their associate’s degrees or bilingual authorization before graduation.(B)
A four-year institution of higher education into which these candidates transfer and in which they earn their baccalaureate degrees and a multiple subject, single subject, PK-3 early childhood education specialist, or education specialist teaching credential, with a bilingual authorization.(4)
Enter into an agreement with one or more local educational agencies, including, but not limited to, local educational agencies enrolling candidates in the pathway, to hire qualified graduates of the pathway in bilingual teaching positions.(d)
Grants pursuant to subdivision (b) shall fund proposals to establish new or expand existing pathways to bilingual teaching, with the first year of the grant for planning purposes and the subsequent five years of the grant for implementation purposes. These funds may be expended for any proper purpose in support of this section, including, but not limited to, any of the following:(1)
To provide teacher, administrator, and faculty release time or stipends to design the pathway and obtain any necessary agreements to implement the pathway.(2)
To create or redesign courses for candidates in a pathway to bilingual teaching.(3)
To design appropriate recruitment, guidance, and support strategies for candidates participating in the pathway.(e)
As a condition of the receipt of a grant, a consortium described in subdivision (c) shall provide to the commission program and outcome information for at least five years after receiving the grant. The information shall include program design and features, the number of candidates enrolled in the program, the number of candidates who have completed the program, the number and type of credentials and bilingual authorizations earned, the time taken to earn a degree and credential, commitments made by local educational agencies with the intent to offer employment of bilingual teaching positions, any other information the commission may require for purposes of documenting the effect of the grant and identifying effective practices in program design and implementation, and, if applicable, home languages spoken by graduates, racial and ethnic backgrounds of graduates, and graduates who are or have ever been English language learners.(f)
The commission shall require applicants for grants under this section to provide assurances of all of the following:(1)
A commitment to implement a planned pathway to bilingual teaching.(2)
A plan for recruitment and retention of candidates for the pathway to bilingual teaching for open positions.(3)
Coordination with existing sources of candidate support, such as the Educator Recruitment and Retention Initiative established pursuant to Chapter 13.5 (commencing with Section 44400) and the Golden State Teacher Grant Program established pursuant to Article 5.1 (commencing with Section 69617) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3, and other forms of financial aid.(4)
Demonstrated commitment to develop or expand enrollment in, and access to, the pathway to bilingual teaching.(5)
A plan to sustain the pathway to bilingual teaching after funding provided under this section expires.(g)
The commission shall annually report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature on the progress grant recipients have made in developing and implementing pathways to bilingual teaching, including, when appropriate, the number of teachers who are enrolled in the pathways and the number of teachers who have completed the pathways and are employed in bilingual settings as reported by local educational agencies, until funds are fully expended.(h)
For purposes of making the computations required by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution, the appropriation made pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be deemed to be “General Fund revenues appropriated for school districts,” as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 41202, for the 2025–26 fiscal year, and included within the “total allocations to school districts and community college districts from General Fund proceeds of taxes appropriated pursuant to Article XIIIB,” as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 41202, for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
Source:
Section 44259.4, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=44259.4. (updated Jul. 9, 2026; accessed Jul. 27, 2026).
