Between 2010 and 2020, Rhode Island experienced the highest growth of multilingual language learners in the nation, according to a recent report from the Rhode Island Department of Education. MLL enrollment more than doubled statewide between 2013 and 2023, while some urban core districts, such as North Providence, experienced a more than 400% increase, the report states. Today, MLLs comprise over 13% of the state’s student population — the fifth highest percentage in the nation.
Rhode Island’s unique demographic profile highlights the urgent need for a more robust and responsive approach to language education. Multilingual education programs — which integrate instruction in languages such as Spanish, Portuguese and Creole languages — reflect the state’s linguistic diversity and cater to the needs of its large Latino, Cape Verdean and other multilingual communities. Currently, multilingual programs face funding constraints, teacher shortages and bureaucratic hurdles. To address these challenges, it is crucial that the state enact legislation that makes multilingual education a foundational pillar of Rhode Island’s public school system.
Funding proves to be the biggest obstacle. In early 2024, R.I. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green expressed that there may be a looming “fiscal cliff” facing schools across the state, potentially leading to budget cuts and staff layoffs. Such a funding crisis would especially affect multilingual learners, who, according to the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council, “require additional resources to meet their educational needs.” Until fiscal year 2017, Rhode Island provided no dedicated state funding for MLLs, and even after, support was capped at just 10% of the per-pupil core instructional amount. Though that share rose to 15% in fiscal year 2024, this multiplier remains well below the national average of roughly 41%, leaving districts without the resources needed to meet essential instructional costs. Thus, some high-capacity districts spend over $12,000 per multilingual learner, while others spend as little as $2,500. Districts with the highest concentrations of MLLs, such as Providence and Central Falls, also have the weakest local tax bases, leaving them most dependent on this limited aid. The result is alarming: Rhode Island still ranks 28th out of 31 states and D.C. in MLL spending. The state’s persistent underinvestment in schools shapes student outcomes: in 2022, 60% of Rhode Island’s multilingual fourth graders scored below basic proficiency in math and 71% in reading.
This lack of funding has been exacerbated by the shortage of certified teachers needed to match rapidly increasing MLL enrollment. Only 5% of Rhode Island teachers identify as multilingual, compared to a national average of 12%, a gap perpetuated by the barriers to the certification required to teach these programs. According to R.I. State Rep. David Morales (D-Providence), the high cost of certification is a significant obstacle for many aspiring language teachers in the state. For example, tuition for the MLL endorsement program at the University of Rhode Island, one of the programs that may fulfill the Rhode Island Department of Education’s requirements for certification and recertification, is $2,250, on top of the application fees required to obtain and maintain a state teaching license.
These barriers are even greater for teachers trained abroad, whose linguistic and cultural expertise could strengthen multilingual classrooms but who must first verify U.S. equivalency, meet English proficiency standards and complete extra testing. While the state offers an “International Teacher Preliminary Certificate” to permit qualified educators to teach for one year while completing these steps, to qualify, they must hold a valid home-country certificate, verified U.S. equivalency, English proficiency, a J-1 or H-1B visa and at least two years of teaching experience.
To address these ongoing challenges, the state has introduced the Bilingual, Dual Language and World Language Teachers’ Investment Act, which would create a scholarship fund for teachers pursuing bilingual, dual-language or world-language certification and require recipients to teach in urban core or ring schools for a number of years. A previous bill, named the Support and Access to Bilingual Education Act, would establish a dual-language program fund to incentivize districts to launch or expand K-12 dual-language programs, offering grants for program planning, instructional materials and professional development. However, both bills have stalled: Lawmakers have cited budget constraints, persistent teacher certification barriers and doubts about districts’ capacity to staff and sustain dual-language programs. Whether the bills will be reintroduced in the upcoming session beginning in January 2026 depends on whether legislators prioritize these measures and commit the necessary funding to overcome implementation barriers.
The leading advocate behind these pieces of legislation has been the Coalition for a Multilingual RI, a group of over 30 organizations advocating for an expansion of multilingual education. All members believe every student deserves a classroom that values their language, culture and potential. The passage of these bills would not just address teacher shortages but also affirm the state’s commitment to equal opportunity for all students. Our team, along with the Coalition for a Multilingual RI, will keep fighting towards that vision. But we cannot accomplish our goals alone. As members of an educational institution, we must demand that our legislators act because language access is not a privilege but a fundamental right.
As Brown students, we can do plenty to advance multilingual education in the state. Engage with the Center for Language Studies or other multilingual communities on campus to enrich your own language learning, or volunteer with the Brown Tutoring Corps to make immediate and direct change.
Take a moment to email your Rhode Island state senator or representative and tell them why funding multilingual education matters to you. Urge them to support stronger, better-funded dual language programs across the state. Together, we can ensure that every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to learn and thrive through language.
The Multilingual Education Team within Brown Initiative for Policy works to research and advocate for multilingual education across the state of Rhode Island, seeking to support the Providence Public School system in serving the needs of its diverse student base. Kayla Morrison ’26, Lily Luby ’28, Lavleen Madahar ’26, Luca Raffa ’28 and Dimitra Sofianou ’26 are all members of the MET. Please send responses to this op-ed to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
