PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget amendment includes $750,000 to support the state’s multilingual educator workforce and expand dual language programs, according to a news release from the Coalition for a Multilingual Rhode Island.
The funding is tied to the Support and Access to Bilingual Education Act and aims to strengthen pathways for multilingual adults to pursue educator certification while helping school districts address staffing shortages.
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Rhode Island serves more than 20,000 multilingual learners, and school districts across the state continue to face educator shortages, according to the coalition.
The investment builds on the statewide Preparing Rhode Island’s Multilingual Educators pilot program, which connects multilingual adults with certification opportunities and workforce development resources. Supporters say the additional funding could help expand access to dual language programs and sustain the existing pipeline of educators.
“This is an important first step towards a sustainable solution,” Erin L. Papa, coalition executive director, said in a statement. “There is no pathway to a multilingual Rhode Island without a strong and sustainable bilingual, dual language and world language teacher pipeline.”
Advocates said the funding is intended to prevent disruption to the PRIME pilot and maintain progress for individuals currently pursuing certification.
The coalition credited bill sponsors Rep. David Morales, D-Providence, and Sen. Mark McKenney, D-Warwick, along with educators, school districts and community organizations, for advancing the proposal.
Veer Mudambi is the special projects editor at Providence Business News. He can be reached at Mudambi@PBN.com.
