New law would expand dual-language programs — if legislators fund it

The Seattle Times reports:

As the number of students learning English continues to climb in Washington, the state has added several new tools to help school districts prepare both native and nonnative speakers for fluency in at least two languages.

Bipartisan legislation that Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law Monday would provide grants of up to $200,000 that districts could use to create or expand dual-language programs. Students in those immersive programs spend half the day learning in their native language, and half in another.

The legislation also would require state officials to help build partnerships between districts and colleges of education to recruit, train and mentor more bilingual educators. Districts could start as early as middle school to identify aspiring teachers and help them build their linguistic skills.

Seattle Public Schools, for example, has considered hosting a teaching academy at Chief Sealth High, where seniors learning Spanish could study education as a profession and decide if it’s a career path for them.

Notice the language other than English?