Legislative Priorities
Working together with our legislators to make Rhode Island stronger.
Bills We Support
Every year, the Coalition for a Multilingual Rhode Island advocates for pieces of legislation that support the development and expansion of multilingual education. Here are bills we’re tracking this legislative session:
2026 Legislative Priorities and Updates
We’re so happy you’re here. The work of the Coalition for a Multilingual Rhode Island is only possible through the collaborative effort of our members, volunteers, staff, and community. If you’d like to become a member, please fill out this Member Interest Form. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us at info@multilingualri.org.
Support and Access to Bilingual Education Act (SABE)
Get involved:
Status:
What the SABE Act Does
1. Creates a Dedicated Bilingual Education Support Fund
Beginning FY2027, the state will invest $950,000 annually to support:
- $300,000 for implementation of dual language programs in public school districts
- $600,000 to expand teacher certification pathways for bilingual dual language (BDL) and world language educators
- Up to $50,000 for administration (any unused funds revert back to program support)
This creates stable, recurring funding, not one-time grants.
2. Expands Access in High-Need Districts
The bill prioritizes districts with a “high incidence” of multilingual learners, defined as:
- 250+ multilingual learners, OR
- 20% or more of total student enrollment
These districts are encouraged to launch or expand high-quality bilingual/dual language programs aligned with state standards.
3. Invests in the Teacher Pipeline
The SABE Act:
- Streamlines and expands bilingual and world language teacher certification
- Provides financial support for certification costs
- Encourages partnerships between:
- School districts
- Community-based organizations
- Institutions of higher education
It recognizes that the teacher shortage, not student demand, is one of the biggest barriers to expanding dual language education.
4. Aligns With Rhode Island’s Workforce & Economic Goals
The bill affirms that:
- Rhode Island’s economy depends on multilingual and multicultural competence
- Language proficiency strengthens foreign trade, international exchange, and workforce competitiveness
- A diverse educator workforce improves student engagement and outcomes
This is not just an education bill, it is an economic development and workforce investment strategy.
Why This Matters
- Multilingual learners are increasing across Rhode Island.
- Only 8% are currently enrolled in dual language programs.
- Eleven districts qualify as “high incidence,” yet many lack adequate programming.
- Research shows dual language programs improve graduation rates, attendance, and academic achievement for multilingual AND monolingual students alike.
The SABE Act moves Rhode Island from vision to implementation.
How SABE can help your district:
Contact Your Legislator
Call House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi at (401) 222-2447 and Senate President Valarie Lawson at (401) 222-4901 and urge them to support:
- H7389/S2555: The Support and Access to Bilingual Education Act
Here’s a sample script to get you started:
Hi, my name is _____ and I’m a (teacher/student/parent/etc.). I’m calling to urge you to support H7389 (when calling the House) S2555 (when calling the Senate).
The Support and Access to Bilingual Education Act helps address the teacher shortage by removing financial barriers for qualified bilingual educators and by expanding access to high-quality bilingual and dual-language programs for all students.
The Support and Access to Bilingual Education Act expands access to high-quality bilingual and dual-language programs for all students.
Optional:
If you’d like, feel free to share how these bills directly affect you or your community. And when you’re done, call or text 5 friends and ask them to do the same. Let’s get these bills passed together!
Older Legislation
We’re so happy you’re here. The work of the Coalition for a Multilingual Rhode Island is only possible through the collaborative effort of our members, volunteers, staff, and community. If you’d like to become a member, please fill out this Member Interest Form. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us at info@multilingualri.org.
2025 | Bilingual Dual Language and World Language Teacher’s Investment Act
This bill creates a scholarship fund to help teachers earn bilingual, dual language, or world language certification by investing directly in multilingual people and educators of color who reflect our students and have long been shut out of teacher preparation programs. It’s currently the only solution to building a truly sustainable teacher pipeline. In return, scholarship recipients commit to teaching in an urban core or ring school for one year for every year of support.
2025 | Support and Access to Bilingual Education Act
This bill creates an incentive for schools to start, expand, and improve K-12 dual language programs. With decades of research that prove that dual language programs have the best results for all students: multilingual or monolingual and students in bilingual programs outperform their English-speaking peers in ELA and Math. Dual language programs are cost-neutral once implemented but require up-front materials and professional development.