(a) (1) The purpose of the grant program established under this article is to ensure that California can meet the demand for bilingual teachers necessary for the implementation of dual language and other bilingual education programs as authorized by the California Education for a Global Economy Initiative, approved by the voters as Proposition 58 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, and to ensure California is able to meet the demand in preparing bilingual education teachers.
(2) The purpose of this grant program shall also be to increase bilingual teachers in multiple languages to staff bilingual classrooms, such as Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, and Arabic classrooms, and other languages, as represented in instructional programs.
(b) The Legislature hereby establishes the Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program for teachers seeking to provide instruction in bilingual and multilingual settings.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 48, Sec. 81. (SB 114) Effective July 10, 2023.)