Over the last three decades, the field of education in the US has experienced a growing demand for dual language and biliteracy programs. The dissemination of research that highlights the cognitive, social, and financial benefits of bilingualism is one of the main reasons that families and educators alike have been engaging in advocacy efforts for the expansion of these programs. Many states have responded to this demand by creating legislation and providing funding to expand program availability, but we know the demand will only continue to increase, and we must prepare to meet this need.
The rise of biliteracy programs is excellent news for both multilingual and monolingual communities, as it solidifies the public’s shift toward a more inclusive multilingual perspective and—most importantly—is a long-overdue response to meet the needs of the millions of multilingual English learners in our schools.
Yet progress always tends to come with challenges, and in the case of the expansion of dual language and biliteracy programs, a shortage of bilingual teachers remains one of the most pressing barriers. If this issue is not addressed, we risk perpetuating the lack of access to linguistically appropriate education for our multilingual student populations. For advocates of linguistic liberation, this is a challenge that can’t be ignored. Now more than ever, educators who possess bilingual abilities and are passionate about improving the quality of education for multilingual students must step up and become dual language educators.
The Growing Demand for Bilingual Teachers
At least half of the 50 states are facing critical bilingual teacher shortages, and even though each state has its own unique educational profile, there are several common underlying factors that contribute to this issue.
Although the demand for dual language education has gained momentum across the last three decades, it’s been the last 15 years that have seen the most significant expansion. Research on dual language education and the bilingual brain has identified a “bilingual advantage”—a benefit that goes beyond financial opportunity, and it includes better problem-solving skills, an increased ability to navigate diverse sociocultural settings, and even a delay to the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s (Marian and Shook, 2012). These findings have effectively challenged the English-only narratives that influenced legislation and contributed to the decline of biliteracy programs in the 1990s and early 2000s. This shift in mindset has fueled a remarkable increase in demand for the expansion of dual language programs, which have increased from approximately 260 programs available in the early 2000s (Gross, 2016) to over 4,900 in 2023 (Williams et al., 2023). This is substantial growth; however, as more and more communities advocate for access to biliteracy education, there’s a danger that the shortage of biliteracy teachers could slow down this much desired expansion.
Another factor contributing to the bilingual teacher shortage has been the lasting impact of past English-only policies and their effect on teacher preparation programs. Unfortunately, English-only legislation in states like California, Arizona, and Massachusetts caused the dismantling of a significant number of bilingual teacher preparation programs. Without a bilingual credential as an option, thousands of former preservice educators never considered pursuing a career in bilingual education, as there was no demand or encouragement to do so. However, sentiments have changed across the nation, and as society embraces a new multilingual perspective, options to obtain a bilingual credential or to become a bilingual educator are becoming more available. Nevertheless, there are still thousands of biliterate educators working in English-medium or world language classrooms who are not yet aware that their biliteracy is a much sought-after asset in dual language teaching.
Fortunately, there is hope for solving the urgent need for bilingual educators, as approximately 13% of all K–12 educators are bilingual (Williams, 2023), although less than 2% of them are in fact teaching in a biliteracy classroom (Center for Educational Statistics, n.d.). While these figures may seem disheartening at first glance, they reveal a large and untapped pool of potential bilingual educators that could help fill this critical gap; with the appropriate support and encouragement, many educators could serve in dual language and biliteracy classrooms almost immediately.
Why Become a Dual Language or Biliteracy Educator?
Dual language programs have the power to level the playing field for the over five million multilingual English learners who are enrolled in our schools, most of whom speak Spanish. Research has clearly shown that dual language and additive biliteracy programs that promote home language maintenance and development have the potential to eliminate the opportunity gap after five to seven years of sustained program participation. In contrast, subtractive programs such as pull-out ESL and content-based ELD not only fail to close the opportunity gap but in many cases may even exacerbate it (Thomas and Collier, 2012).
Educators, especially those who are biliterate in English and Spanish, must keep in mind that accessing dual language education can mean the difference between a multilingual English learner graduating from high school with the academic and linguistic skills to access higher education—or dropping out of school and facing limited career opportunities. Sadly, even when research clearly shows that the best placement for a multilingual English learner is a dual language program, less than 8% of multilingual English learners are enrolled in these programs (Williams et al., 2023). Bilingual educators are true changemakers who have the capacity to shift the academic trajectory of millions of multilingual students. We need more of these courageous educators to make academic success a reality for all learners.
Building trust and understanding with students and families is essential when working with diverse communities. While most educators strive to connect with all families, even the best-intentioned educator may find it difficult to fully grasp the socioemotional toll that language learning and cultural adjustment can have on students and their families. This is why educators from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds are especially needed in dual language classrooms. Multilingual educators who understand both the challenges and opportunities of bilingualism are ideal role models for multilingual English learners, as students can more easily relate to educators who have faced similar experiences. Efforts to create emotional safety must go beyond addressing the social aspects of learning; they must also engage with the sociocultural and sociopolitical challenges related to multilingualism that students inevitably face. Multilingual and multicultural educators are uniquely positioned to equip students with strategies to navigate—and challenge—the implicit and explicit biases still present in many communities. Empowerment is contagious, and when educators model confidence and pride in their bilingual identities, they can inspire the next generation of advocates—and even future bilingual teachers.
The Path to Becoming a Bilingual Teacher
There are many options and pathways available for becoming a dual language or biliteracy teacher, though these pathways will vary across states. Currently, only about 24 of the 50 states offer the option of obtaining a bilingual credential to serve in dual language or biliteracy programs (Garcia, 2021). This means that in some states, a bilingual credential is not needed, but a certain number of professional learning hours or coursework may be.
Educators can find out more about options and programs available for attaining a credential or the requirements for becoming a dual language educator by contacting their state education agency website. Educators are highly encouraged to pursue their interest even when they lack the training and may be worried about the financial aspect of becoming a dual language educator. In some cases, financial support and training opportunities may be available free of cost to them through their state or local educational agencies. For example, Arkansas, California, Georgia, and Oregon have implemented grow-your-own (GYO) initiatives and teacher residency programs to recruit and encourage paraeducators, in-service, and preservice educators to become bilingual teachers (Garcia, 2024). These programs can support educators with grants, professional learning, or paid apprenticeship opportunities to help alleviate some of the financial burdens of obtaining a bilingual credential. Also, local advocacy organizations, such as the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) in California, may be able to provide information about and recommendations of available programs or grants, such as the Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program, which aims to provide professional learning and funding for educators interested in becoming dual language educators. It is also recommended that educators interested in becoming bilingual educators connect with their district leaders, as they may also have bilingual teacher recruitment programs that provide stipends or financial support to prospective dual language or biliteracy educators.
Lastly, it’s important to note that regardless of the credentialing requirements (or lack thereof) for becoming a dual language educator in each particular state, it is imperative that educators feel linguistically and pedagogically prepared to succeed as biliteracy educators. It is highly recommended that educators planning on becoming biliteracy teachers engage in ongoing and job-embedded professional learning that is tailored to the unique needs of the dual language classroom. Luckily, advocacy organizations such as CABE have a wide range of professional learning opportunities, resources, and networks that can support educators in their quest to become the successful bilingual changemakers that our students deserve.
The Call to Action
Teaching and learning in a biliteracy classroom is a complex task but also a deeply rewarding endeavor. To realize the vision of a linguistically responsive and enriching learning journey for all students, we must come together and leverage the linguistic and cultural assets of the thousands of educators who may already be part of the teacher workforce and share this same vision. Now more than ever, biliteracy programs are needed to ensure our students are prepared to be globally competitive, so multilingualism must become the norm for all students. That is why the bilingual teacher shortage must be addressed, and we need passionate, skilled educators to step forward and answer the calling. The time to join is now.
References
Garcia, A. (2024). “Leveraging Teacher Apprenticeship to Grow the ESL and Bilingual Teacher Workforce.” New America. www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/leveraging-teacher-apprenticeship-to-grow-the-esl-and-bilingual-teacher-workforce
Garcia, A. (2021). “New Research Illuminates EL Teacher Certification Requirements and Related Impacts on Student Learning.” New America. www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/new-research-illuminates-el-teacher-certification-requirements-and-related-impacts-on-student-learning
Gross, N. (2016) “Dual-Language Programs on the Rise Across the US Education Writers Association.” https://ewa.org/news-explainers/dual-language-programs-on-the-rise-across-the-u-s?utm_
Marian, V., and Shook, A. (2012) “The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual.” Cerebrum. PMID: 23447799; PMCID: PMC3583091. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3583091/
Percentage distribution of all school teachers and teachers of Hispanic or Latino origin, by school type and selected teacher characteristics: 2017–18. (n.d.). National Center for Educational Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps/tables/ntps1718_22022802_t12n.asp?utm_
Thomas, W. P., and Collier, V. P. (2012). Dual Language Education for a Transformed World. Dual Language Education of New Mexico. Fuente Press.
Williams, C. (2023). “America’s Missing Bilingual Teachers.” Century Foundation. https://tcf.org/content/commentary/americas-missing-bilingual-teachers/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Williams, C., Meek, S., Marcus, M., and Zabala, J. (2023). “Ensuring Equitable Access to Dual-Language Immersion Programs: Supporting English learners’ emerging bilingualism.” Century Foundation. https://production-tcf.imgix.net/app/uploads/2023/05/22163437/conor_report.pdf
Rubí P. Flores is a nationally recognized leader in bilingual education with 20+ years of experience. As director of professional learning at CABE, she leads initiatives supporting dual language programs. A published author and keynote speaker, she advocates for equity-driven, culturally responsive education for multilingual learners across California and beyond.