2023 -- H 6023

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LC001657

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- MULTILINGUAL EDUCATORS INVESTMENT ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives Morales, Caldwell, Sanchez, Potter, Giraldo, Felix,
Henries, Speakman, Tanzi, and Cruz

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2023

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Findings of fact.

     (1) The demographic divide between teachers and students is of growing public concern.

     (2) Currently, multilingual students comprise twenty-seven percent (27%) of students in

Rhode Island’s urban core student population and sixteen percent (16%) of Rhode Island’s

statewide student population (Rhode Island Kids Count, 2022).

     (3) Only two percent (2%) of multilingual learners are in enrolled in dual language

programs and comprise a large portion of urban core and urban ring school students.

     (5) A common explanation of why the demographic divide is so concerning is that

multilingual students benefit most from instruction from teachers that are certified in dual language

instruction.

     (6) More students benefiting from dual language instruction may, in turn, translate into

better academic outcomes such as student motivation, improved interest in academics, and grades.

     (7) Multilingual educators represent excellent role models and provide a continuous source

of inspiration for not only multilingual students, but all students.

     (8) Linguistic separation and isolation can be countered through significant investment in

multilingual educators that will deliver academic content through multiple languages

     (9) Students learn important societal lessons through the example of cooperative interracial

and interethnic relationships among teachers.

     (10) It is in the best interest of the state, its residents, and its students to develop and support

certified multilingual educators. The Rhode Island Blueprint for a Multilingual Learner Success

(2021) calls for a nimble system that "Secures and allocates human and fiscal resources to support

high-quality core instruction to meet the diverse needs of MLLs, including professional learning

opportunities for all teachers and administrators."

     (11) Support for increased preparation and training of bilingual/dual language and world

language teachers can successfully be leveraged by providing direct financial support to Rhode

Island college and the university of Rhode Island working to increase the number of certified

bilingual/dual language and world language teachers.

     SECTION 2. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by

adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 112

MULTILINGUAL EDUCATORS INVESTMENT ACT

     16-112-1. Short title.

     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Multilingual Educators Investment

Act".

     16-112-2. Definitions.

     When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following

meanings:

     (1) "FAFSA" means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form;

     (2) "Mandatory fees and tuition" means the costs that every student is required to pay in

order to enroll in classes, and does not include room and board, textbooks, program fees that may

exist in some majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses, meal plans, or travel;

     (3) "Multilingual educator" means an educator who has demonstrated advanced

proficiency in at least two (2) languages.

     (i) "Bilingual dual language educator" means a teacher who is certified by the Rhode Island

department of elementary and secondary education to serve in a bilingual or dual language

education classroom.

     (ii) "World language educator" means a teacher who is certified by the Rhode Island

department of elementary and secondary education to serve in a world language classroom.

     (4) "Multilingual learner" means a student who speaks a language other than English at

home:

     (i) "English language learner" is a multilingual learner who is undergoing the process of

becoming proficient in English;

     (5) "Recipient" or "recipient student" means a student attending Rhode Island college, the

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university of Rhode Island, or another state approved program that offers certification programs for

world language and/or bilingual dual language who qualifies and is awarded a scholarship pursuant

to the provisions of § 16-112-4.

     (6) "Scholarship" or "scholarship program" means the scholarship program that is

established pursuant to § 16-112-4 to promote and increase the quality of multilingual teachers in

urban core and urban ring public schools.

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

     (8) "Urban core" means the municipalities of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls,

Woonsocket and Newport.

     (9) "Urban ring" means the municipalities of Cranston, Warwick, West Warwick, North

Providence and East Providence.

     16-112-3. Strategy to expand teaching certifications for bilingual dual language and

world language teachers.

     The office of the postsecondary commissioner is hereby empowered and directed to

collaborate with the department of elementary and secondary education and in consultation with

Rhode Island college, the university of Rhode Island, and any other state approved program that

prepares teachers for world language and/or bilingual/dual language certification to prioritize,

improve, and expand the program options and available space to result in an increase in the issuance

of teaching certificates to promote and increase the number of bilingual dual language and world

language teachers in urban and urban ring schools.

     16-112-4. Scholarship program.

     (a) Beginning July 1, 2023, there is hereby established a scholarship program to promote

and increase the number of multilingual educators in urban core and urban ring public schools.

     (b) The general assembly shall annually appropriate, commencing in fiscal year 2024, the

sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) to implement the scholarship purposes of this chapter.

Additional funds beyond the scholarships may be appropriated to support and advance the

scholarship program established pursuant to the provisions of this section. In addition to

appropriation by the general assembly, charitable donations may be accepted into the scholarship

program.

     (c) The financial aid office, in conjunction with the office of enrollment management or

their respective equivalent offices, at Rhode Island college and the university of Rhode Island, shall

administer the scholarship program for state residents seeking graduate certificates or degrees who

meet the eligibility requirements in subsection (d) of this section.

     (d) To be eligible for receipt of the scholarship, a student:

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     (1) Shall be pursuing a pre-kindergarten through grade twelve (Pre-K-12) teacher

certification as part of the teacher preparation program in the Feinstein school of education and

human development (FSEHD) at Rhode Island college or the school of education at the university

of Rhode Island;

     (2) Shall commit to work full-time as a teacher within one year of graduation at a public

urban core or urban ring school in Rhode Island. The commitment to work full-time shall extend

to one year of teaching for each year the recipient received and accepted an award of scholarship

pursuant to the provisions of this chapter;

     (3) Shall qualify for in-state tuition and fees pursuant to the residency policy adopted by

the council on postsecondary education, as amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified

from time to time ("residency policy");

     (4) Shall be admitted to, and must enroll and attend Rhode Island college or the university

of Rhode Island;

     (5) Shall complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA verification or the Rhode Island

alternative application for state postsecondary student financial assistance by the deadline

prescribed by Rhode Island college and/or the university of Rhode Island for each year in which

the student seeks to receive funding under the scholarship program by deadline prescribed by

Rhode Island college and/or the university of Rhode Island;

     (6) Shall maintain an average annual cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or

greater, as determined by Rhode Island college or the university of Rhode Island;

     (7) Shall remain on track to graduate on time as determined by Rhode Island college or the

university of Rhode Island; and

     (8) Shall commit to repayment of all funds received by the scholarship program if the

recipient student fails to complete or comply with all requirements and provisions of this chapter.

     (d) Rhode Island college and the university of Rhode Island shall develop a policy and

procedure to secure the commitments from recipient students.

     (e) Every scholarship awarded pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be calculated

annually. Each applicant and/or recipient shall complete the FAFSA and any required FAFSA

verification by the deadline prescribed by Rhode Island college or the university of Rhode Island

for each year of attendance. The scholarship award shall cover the annual cost of mandatory fees

and tuition, less federal and all other financial aid monies available to the recipient student. Once

awarded, the scholarship may continue for a period of up to two (2) years conditioned on the

recipient student's compliance with the provisions of this section.

     (f) All scholarships awarded pursuant to the provisions of this section are subject to

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appropriation, and no applicant shall have a right to receive any scholarship pursuant to the

provisions of this section until awarded.

     16-112-5. Scholarship award preference.

     In selecting students as recipients of the scholarship established pursuant to § 16-112-4,

preference shall be given to the following applicants:

     (1) Multilingual adults with bachelor degrees from the United States and abroad; and

     (2) Multilingual undergraduate students enrolled in teacher education programs.

     16-112-6. Promulgation of rules and procedure.

     The department of elementary and secondary education is authorized to promulgate rules

and regulations to effectuate the purpose of this chapter. In addition, Rhode Island college and the

university of Rhode Island shall establish appeal procedures for the award, denial, repayment, or

revocation of a scholarship award pursuant to the provisions of §16-112-4.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- MULTILINGUAL EDUCATORS INVESTMENT ACT

***

     This act would authorize the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to

establish a program to expand the issuance of teaching certificates to bilingual dual language and

world language teachers in urban and urban ring schools; would establish a scholarship program to

promote and increase the number of bilingual dual language and world language teachers in urban

and urban ring schools; and would establish the scholarship eligibility requirements and

preferences.

     This act would take effect on July 1, 2023.

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