LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeEducation CodeDiv. 4Pt. 28Ch. 7Art. 3§ 52172 Bilingual Teacher Certification Requirements

§ 52172 Bilingual Teacher Certification Requirements

Education Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 52172 Bilingual Teacher Certification Requirements

Key Takeaways

  • •Only special bilingual teachers can teach in certain school programs unless the school board says it's okay.
  • •If a regular teacher was allowed to teach in a bilingual program before but the permission expires, they can't be fired just for that.
  • •Even if they can't become a bilingual teacher, they keep their job and can teach in regular classes.

Example

A teacher who only speaks English is allowed to teach in a bilingual class because the school didn't have enough bilingual teachers. After a few years, the school hires enough bilingual teachers, and the special permission expires.

The teacher can't be fired just because the permission expired. They can keep teaching, but only in regular English classes, not the bilingual ones.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 52172 Bilingual Teacher Certification Requirements

Teachers and teacher aides who are not bilingual-crosscultural teachers and aides, as defined by subdivisions (h) and (i) of Section 52163, shall not be permitted to teach in programs authorized pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or, unless waived by the board, (c) of Section 52163, except as provided in Sections 52166 and 52178, or except as staffing requirements are waived by the board pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 52163. It is the intent of the Legislature that the provisions of Section 44955 shall apply to this section. However, in no case shall a school district dismiss a fully certificated teacher, who previously taught in the bilingual-bicultural program pursuant to a waiver granted under Section 52178, solely on the basis that such waiver has expired. Even if such person is unable to qualify for a bilingual credential or a bilingual-crosscultural certificate of competence, he or she shall retain his or her status, seniority, and rights as a probationary or permanent employee, as the case may be, for the purpose of serving as a monolingual teacher in other programs offered by the school district. (Amended by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1339, Sec. 27. Operative July 1, 1981, by Sec. 39 of Ch. 1339.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

schoolwaiverfireofferemployeeprobationlegislatureteacher

Related Statutes

  • § 52163.6 Primary Language Waiver Requirements
  • § 52165 English Instruction For Limited Proficiency Pupils
  • § 49133 Minor Work Permit Requirements
  • § 52163.5 Bilingual Education Program Requirements
  • § 52177 Bilingual Education Program Oversight

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Education Code. Section 52172.
View Official Source