(1) Within existing resources, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall facilitate dual language learning cohorts for school districts and state-tribal compact schools establishing or expanding dual language programs. The office must provide technical assistance and support to school districts and state-tribal compact schools implementing dual language programs, including those establishing or expanding dual language programs under *section 1 of this act.

(2) The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules to implement this section.

*Reviser's note: A translation of "section 1 of this act" is to the uncodified intent section noted after this section. Reference to RCW 28A.630.095 was apparently intended. RCW 28A.630.095 expired July 1, 2020.

Findings—Intent—2017 c 236: "(1) The legislature finds that it should review and revise the K-12 educational program taking into consideration the needs of students as they evolve. In Washington state, immigrant students whose first language is not English represent a significant part of evolving and more diverse school demographics. The legislature finds that Washington's educator workforce in school districts has not evolved in a manner consistent with changing student demographics. Thus, more and more schools are without the capacity to meet the needs of English learners and without the capacity to communicate effectively with parents whose first language is not English.

(2) The legislature finds that:

(a) Between 1986 and 2016, the number of students served in the state's transitional bilingual instruction program increased from fifteen thousand twenty-four to one hundred eighteen thousand five hundred twenty-six, an increase of six hundred eighty-nine percent, and that two-thirds of the students were native Spanish speakers; the next ten most common languages were Russian, Vietnamese, Somali, Chinese, Arabic, Ukrainian, Tagalog, Korean, Marshallese, and Punjabi;

(b) In the 2015-16 school year, forty-six percent of instructors in the state's transitional bilingual instruction program were instructional aides, or paraeducators, not certificated teachers; and

(c) Eleven percent of students in the transitional bilingual instruction program received instruction in their native language in the 2015-16 school year, and research shows that non-English-speaking students develop academic proficiency in English more quickly when they are provided instruction in their native language initially.

(3) The legislature showed its commitment to equity in education by passing legislation creating a seal of biliteracy, requiring world language for high school graduation, easing the transitions of English learners, encouraging training for staff in cultural competence, monitoring the racial and ethnic data of teachers, and funding the creation of K-12 dual language programs.

(4) However, the legislature finds it is necessary to better serve non-English-speaking students by addressing and closing the significant language and instructional gaps that hinder English learners from meeting the state's rigorous educational standards.

(5) Thus, the legislature intends to establish a comprehensive approach to support English learners by creating grant programs to: (a) Expand dual language programs for elementary and secondary students; and (b) recruit bilingual individuals to become educators who are able to provide instruction in, and support for, dual language programs." [ 2017 c 236 § 1.]