RI S2555

Establishes a bilingual education support fund within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with $950,000 in annual appropriations beginning FY 2027, including $300,000 for dual language program implementation, $600,000 for expanding bilingual/world language teacher certifications, and up to $50,000 for administrative costs.

Targets local education agencies with high incidence of multilingual learners, defined as districts with 250 or more multilingual learners or where multilingual learners comprise 20% or more of total enrollment.

Authorizes grants to traditional public school districts, community-based organizations partnering with districts, and institutions of higher education for planning and implementing K-12 dual language programs.

Permits grant funds to be used for program design partnerships, professional development for administrators and instructors, teacher certification support, and procurement of curricular materials.

Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to collaborate with the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner to increase and streamline issuance of world language and bilingual dual language teaching certifications; effective July 1, 2026.