Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law requires the commission to issue a single subject teaching credential only in specified subjects, including in world language. Existing law requires the commission to adopt examinations and assessments to verify the subject matter knowledge and competence of candidates for those specified single subject teaching credentials, as provided.

Existing law requires the commission to issue authorizations for a teacher to provide specific services to limited-English-proficient pupils, if certain minimum requirements are met, including the passage of one or more examinations that the commission determines is necessary for demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and language proficiency required for effective delivery of the services included in the authorization. Existing law authorizes the commission to issue an authorization for bilingual-cross-cultural competence for specified persons who will be serving English language learners and requires candidates for that authorization to demonstrate, by oral and written examination or by completing an approved program, among other things, that the person is competent in both the oral and written skills of a language other than English.

This bill would authorize a candidate for any of the above-described credentials or authorizations to fulfill the applicable subject matter examination or language requirement in a world language for which the commission does not administer a subject matter examination by successfully completing a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law requires the commission to issue a single subject teaching credential only in specified subjects, including in world language. Existing law requires the commission to adopt examinations and assessments to verify the subject matter knowledge and competence of candidates for those specified single subject teaching credentials, as provided.

Existing law requires the commission to issue authorizations for a teacher to provide specific services to limited-English-proficient pupils, if certain minimum requirements are met, including the passage of one or more examinations that the commission determines is necessary for demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and language proficiency required for effective delivery of the services included in the authorization. Existing law authorizes the commission to issue an authorization for bilingual-cross-cultural competence for specified persons who will be serving English language learners and requires candidates for that authorization to demonstrate, by oral and written examination or by completing an approved program, among other things, that the person is competent in both the oral and written skills of a language other than English.

This bill would authorize a candidate for any of the above-described credentials or authorizations to fulfill the applicable subject matter examination or language requirement in a world language for which the commission does not administer a subject matter examination by successfully completing a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law requires the commission to issue a single subject teaching credential only in specified subjects, including in world language. Existing law requires the commission to adopt examinations and assessments to verify the subject matter knowledge and competence of candidates for those specified single subject teaching credentials, as provided.

Existing law requires the commission to issue authorizations for a teacher to provide specific services to limited-English-proficient pupils, if certain minimum requirements are met, including the passage of one or more examinations that the commission determines is necessary for demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and language proficiency required for effective delivery of the services included in the authorization. Existing law authorizes the commission to issue an authorization for bilingual-cross-cultural competence for specified persons who will be serving English language learners and requires candidates for that authorization to demonstrate, by oral and written examination or by completing an approved program, among other things, that the person is competent in both the oral and written skills of a language other than English.

This bill would authorize a candidate for any of the above-described credentials or authorizations to fulfill the applicable subject matter examination or language requirement in a world language for which the commission does not administer a subject matter examination by successfully completing a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment maintained by a specified organization. assessment.

Existing law establishes specific rules of construction and defines various terms for purposes of interpreting provisions of the Government Code.

This bill would make a nonsubstantive change in those general provisions.

 CONSENT  

Bill No: AB 2652

Author: Sharp-Collins (D), et al.

Amended: 4/13/26 in Assembly

Vote: 21

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/10/26

AYES: Pérez, Ochoa Bogh, Cabaldon, Choi, Cortese, Menjivar, Reyes

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/14/26 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Teacher credentialing: world languages: subject matter examinations: language proficiency assessments

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill (1) expands pathways for candidates seeking a teaching credential in World Languages or a bilingual authorization to demonstrate language proficiency in languages for which the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) does not administer a subject matter examination; (2) authorizes candidates to satisfy applicable language examination requirements through successful completion of a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the CTC and requires the Commission to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits.
2. Requires the CTC to issue single subject teaching credentials only in specified subjects, including World Languages.
3. Requires candidates for teaching credentials to demonstrate subject matter competence.
4. Requires the CTC to adopt examinations and assessments to verify the subject matter knowledge and competence of candidates for single subject teaching credentials.
5. Requires the CTC to develop standards for bilingual-cross-cultural authorizations for credential holders serving English learners.
6. Requires candidates for bilingual authorizations to demonstrate competence in the oral and written skills of a language other than English through examinations, approved programs, or a combination of coursework and examinations.

This bill:

1. Authorizes candidates for a Single Subject credential in World Languages to satisfy applicable subject matter examination requirements through successful completion of a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment when the CTC does not administer an examination in that language.
2. Authorizes candidates for a bilingual authorization to satisfy applicable language proficiency requirements through successful completion of a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment when the CTC does not administer an examination in that language.
3. Expands the range of assessments that may be used to demonstrate proficiency in less commonly taught languages, including assessments maintained by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
4. Applies only in circumstances where the CTC does not currently administer a subject matter examination in the applicable world language.

Comments

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “California is one of the most diverse places in the world. However, our world language courses offered to students do not reflect the reality of our state. Currently, California only offers testing for a select group of languages. This is creating a shortage in credentialing opportunities that disproportionately impacts multilingual communities where dual immersion programs are essential for English learners and heritage language speakers.

“AB 2652 allows teachers to take language credentialing exams that California does not offer that have been approved by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). This bill ensures that public investments in bilingual education translate into classrooms staffed by qualified teachers. And it opens opportunities for more students to advance studies in their native tongue or begin learning a new language.”

1. Expanding credentialing pathways for less commonly taught languages. Under current law, candidates seeking a World Languages credential or bilingual authorization generally must demonstrate language proficiency through pathways tied to CTC-approved examinations, approved subject matter programs, or university coursework. While these pathways are workable for more commonly taught languages, they may be significantly more difficult for candidates seeking authorization in languages for which California does not administer a subject matter examination and for which few postsecondary programs exist.

As a practical matter, this can create a circular challenge: institutions may be reluctant to establish preparation programs in languages without existing state assessments, while prospective teachers may be unable to pursue authorization absent such programs or examinations. This bill attempts to address that gap by permitting candidates to demonstrate proficiency through comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessments when the Commission does not administer an examination in the relevant language.

1. Alignment with broader state efforts to promote multilingualism and biliteracy. Over the past decade, California has adopted a number of policies intended to expand multilingual education and recognize bilingualism as an educational asset rather than a deficit. These efforts include voter approval of Proposition 58, establishment and expansion of the State Seal of Biliteracy, adoption of the California English Learner Roadmap, and multiple state investments intended to expand dual language immersion programs and the bilingual teacher workforce.

At the same time, the state continues to face staffing challenges in bilingual and multilingual education settings. While California currently administers subject matter examinations in a relatively limited number of languages, many California students speak home languages for which no corresponding examination currently exists. To the extent this bill expands pathways for qualified multilingual candidates to obtain credentials or authorizations in those languages, it may support broader state goals related to biliteracy, multilingualism, and culturally responsive instruction.

1. Policy considerations regarding assessment comparability and rigor. This bill would allow candidates to satisfy state language proficiency requirements through “comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessments” when no CTC-administered examination exists. This raises implementation questions regarding how the CTC would determine whether an assessment is sufficiently rigorous, aligned to California credentialing expectations, and comparable across providers and languages.

The bill appears intended to address these concerns in part by referencing assessments maintained by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, which are already widely used nationally and are utilized in other California educational contexts, including portions of the State Seal of Biliteracy framework. Nevertheless, the Committee may wish to consider the degree of flexibility that should be afforded regarding acceptable assessments and whether additional statutory guidance regarding equivalency standards would be appropriate.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 6/22/26)

Alameda County Office of Education

Los Angeles County Office of Education

OPPOSITION: (Verified 6/22/26)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/14/26

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Flora, Celeste Rodriguez

Prepared by: Ian Johnson / ED. / (916) 651-4105

6/24/26 16:39:40

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No: Hearing Date: June 10, 2026

Subject:

SUMMARY

This bill expands pathways for candidates seeking a teaching credential in World Languages or a bilingual authorization to demonstrate language proficiency in languages for which the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) does not administer a subject matter examination. Specifically, the bill authorizes candidates to satisfy applicable language examination requirements through successful completion of a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1. Establishes the CTC and requires the Commission to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits.
2. Requires the CTC to issue single subject teaching credentials only in specified subjects, including World Languages.
3. Requires candidates for teaching credentials to demonstrate subject matter competence.
4. Requires the CTC to adopt examinations and assessments to verify the subject matter knowledge and competence of candidates for single subject teaching credentials.
5. Requires the CTC to develop standards for bilingual-cross-cultural authorizations for credential holders serving English learners.
6. Requires candidates for bilingual authorizations to demonstrate competence in the oral and written skills of a language other than English through examinations, approved programs, or a combination of coursework and examinations.

ANALYSIS

This bill:

1. Authorizes candidates for a Single Subject credential in World Languages to satisfy applicable subject matter examination requirements through successful completion of a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment when the CTC does not administer an examination in that language.
2. Authorizes candidates for a bilingual authorization to satisfy applicable language proficiency requirements through successful completion of a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment when the CTC does not administer an examination in that language.
3. Expands the range of assessments that may be used to demonstrate proficiency in less commonly taught languages, including assessments maintained by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
4. Applies only in circumstances where the CTC does not currently administer a subject matter examination in the applicable world language.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “California is one of the most diverse places in the world. However, our world language courses offered to students do not reflect the reality of our state. Currently, California only offers testing for a select group of languages. This is creating a shortage in credentialing opportunities that disproportionately impacts multilingual communities where dual immersion programs are essential for English learners and heritage language speakers.

“AB 2652 allows teachers to take language credentialing exams that California does not offer that have been approved by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). This bill ensures that public investments in bilingual education translate into classrooms staffed by qualified teachers. And it opens opportunities for more students to advance studies in their native tongue or begin learning a new language.”

1. Expanding credentialing pathways for less commonly taught languages. Under current law, candidates seeking a World Languages credential or bilingual authorization generally must demonstrate language proficiency through pathways tied to CTC-approved examinations, approved subject matter programs, or university coursework. While these pathways are workable for more commonly taught languages, they may be significantly more difficult for candidates seeking authorization in languages for which California does not administer a subject matter examination and for which few postsecondary programs exist.

As a practical matter, this can create a circular challenge: institutions may be reluctant to establish preparation programs in languages without existing state assessments, while prospective teachers may be unable to pursue authorization absent such programs or examinations. This bill attempts to address that gap by permitting candidates to demonstrate proficiency through comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessments when the Commission does not administer an examination in the relevant language.

1. Alignment with broader state efforts to promote multilingualism and biliteracy. Over the past decade, California has adopted a number of policies intended to expand multilingual education and recognize bilingualism as an educational asset rather than a deficit. These efforts include voter approval of Proposition 58, establishment and expansion of the State Seal of Biliteracy, adoption of the California English Learner Roadmap, and multiple state investments intended to expand dual language immersion programs and the bilingual teacher workforce.

At the same time, the state continues to face staffing challenges in bilingual and multilingual education settings. While California currently administers subject matter examinations in a relatively limited number of languages, many California students speak home languages for which no corresponding examination currently exists. To the extent this bill expands pathways for qualified multilingual candidates to obtain credentials or authorizations in those languages, it may support broader state goals related to biliteracy, multilingualism, and culturally responsive instruction.

1. Policy considerations regarding assessment comparability and rigor. This bill would allow candidates to satisfy state language proficiency requirements through “comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessments” when no CTC-administered examination exists. This raises implementation questions regarding how the CTC would determine whether an assessment is sufficiently rigorous, aligned to California credentialing expectations, and comparable across providers and languages.

The bill appears intended to address these concerns in part by referencing assessments maintained by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, which are already widely used nationally and are utilized in other California educational contexts, including portions of the State Seal of Biliteracy framework. Nevertheless, the Committee may wish to consider the degree of flexibility that should be afforded regarding acceptable assessments and whether additional statutory guidance regarding equivalency standards would be appropriate.

SUPPORT

Alameda County Office of Education

Los Angeles County Office of Education

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --

Date of Hearing: May 6, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2652

Author:(Sharp-Collins) – As Amended Ver:April 13, 2026

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill allows a world language single subject teaching credential candidate or a bilingual authorization candidate attempting to demonstrate competency in a language other than one for which the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) administers an subject matter examination to do so by successfully completing a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment, as prescribed.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Minor and absorbable costs to the CTC.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author:

California is one of the most diverse places in the world. However, our world language courses offered to students do not reflect the reality of our state. Currently, California only offers testing for a select group of languages. This is creating a shortage in credentialing opportunities that disproportionately impacts multilingual communities where dual immersion programs are essential for English learners and heritage language speakers. AB 2652 allows teachers to take language credentialing exams that California does not offer that have been approved by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

1. Background. Teaching credential candidates wishing to demonstrate language proficiency and earn their world language teaching credential must do so by passing one of the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) in the target language, or an assessment developed by their preparation institution. Additionally, candidates may demonstrate competency through a completion of a CTC-approved subject matter program, earning a Bachelor’s degree in the target language, coursework evaluation, or a combination subject matter, CSET and coursework evaluation. Teachers can also earn a bilingual authorization which allows holders to provide English Language Development (ELD), instruction for primary language development, Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE), and content instruction delivered in primary language. To earn a bilingual authorization, individuals must possess a California teaching credential, an English Authorization, and have demonstrated proficiency in a world language. However, not all languages represented by the diverse population in California are represented by existing teacher preparation programs and CTC-approved assessments, meaning some bilingual teaching credential candidates may speak a language for which there is no world language credential or bilingual authorization pathway. This bill allows a teaching credential or bilingual authorization candidate to demonstrate world language proficiency through completion of a comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment, including, but not limited to, those offered by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). According to the Assembly Committee on Education analysis of this bill, CSET assessments only cover 23 languages while the ACTFL offers assessments in 99 languages.

Analysis Prepared by: Aaron Heredia / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 8, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Darshana R. Patel, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2652 (

Author:Sharp-Collins) – As Amended Ver:March 19, 2026

SUBJECT: Teacher credentialing: world languages: subject matter examinations: language proficiency assessments.

SUMMARY: Allows a candidate for a single subject credential in World Languages, or for a bilingual authorization, to demonstrate competency in subject matter through successful completion of an assessment maintained by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), when an assessment in that language is not administered by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). Specifically, this bill:

1. Permits a candidate for a single subject credential in World Languages, or for a bilingual authorization, to demonstrate competency in subject matter through successful completion of a comparable postsecondary assessment maintained by the ACTFL, when an assessment in that language is not administered by the CTC.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires the CTC to adopt examinations and assessments to verify the subject matter knowledge and competence of candidates for the single subject teaching credentials and concentrations. (Education Code (EC 44282)
2. Requires that a subject matter examination authorizing teaching multiple subjects include an examination of the candidate’s knowledge of the language studies, literature, mathematics, science, social studies, history, the arts, physical education, and human development. (EC 44282)
3. Establishes a single subject credential in World Languages. (EC 44257)
4. Requires that candidates for teaching credentials demonstrate subject matter knowledge (EC 44259)
5. Requires the CTC to develop objective and verifiable standards for an authorization for bilingual-cross-cultural competence for holders of an appropriate credential, certificate, authorization, or permit who will be serving English language learners. (EC 44253.7)
6. States that bilingual authorizations may be issued to persons holding an appropriate credential or authorization issued by the CTC. (EC 44253.7)
7. Requires candidates for the bilingual authorization, by oral and written examination, or by completing an approved program that consists of coursework or a combination of coursework and examinations, to demonstrate all of the following either at the same time as the initial preparation for the prerequisite credential or at a later date:
8. That the person is competent in both the oral and written skills of a language other than English;
9. That the person is competent in both oral and written skills in the English language;
10. That the person has both the knowledge and understanding of the cultural and historical heritage of the limited-English-proficient individuals to be served; and
11. That the person has the ability to perform the services the candidate is certified or authorized to perform in English and in a language other than English. (EC 44253.7)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Need for the bill. The author states, “California is one of the most diverse places in the world. However, our world language courses offered to students do not reflect the reality of our state. Currently, California only offers testing for a select group of languages. This is creating a shortage in credentialing opportunities that disproportionately impacts multilingual communities where dual immersion programs are essential for English learners and heritage language speakers.

AB 2652 allows teachers to take language credentialing exams that California does not offer that have been approved by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). This bill ensures that public investments in bilingual education translate into classrooms staffed by qualified teachers. And it opens opportunities for more students to advance studies in their native tongue or begin learning a new language.”

Study of World Languages and expansion of dual language immersion programs is constrained by the availability of language assessments for teachers. Under current law, candidates for credentials in World Languages and for bilingual authorizations must demonstrate proficiency in the language which they will teach.

To demonstrate language proficiency, teachers must pass one of the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) examinations in the target language, or an assessment developed by the institution at which they complete their preparation. They may also demonstrate competence by completion of a CTC-approved subject matter program, completion of a Bachelor’s degree in the target World Language, coursework evaluation, or a combination of subject matter program, CSET, and/or coursework evaluation. For many of the smaller language groups, there is no CSET examination, and candidates are unlikely to have been able to take coursework, or earn a degree in, that language.

If there is no CSET in the language the teacher wishes to teach, teacher preparation programs can only offer a credential or authorization in that language if they create their own assessment. As a result, institutions are unlikely to offer a program leading to a credential or authorization in that language, and teachers are unable to earn a credential or authorization in that language.

ACTFL examinations are available in more languages than the CSET examinations. This bill aims to increase the number of language assessments teachers can take in order to earn these credentials and authorizations, by permitting them to meet this requirement through successful completion of an assessment maintained by the ACTFL, when an assessment in that language is not administered by the CTC.

As shown below, CSET assessments are currently available in 23 languages. The ACTFL offers assessments in the 99 languages shown below:

• CSET: American Sign Language, Arabic, Armenian, Cantonese, Farsi, Filipino, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Latin, Mandarin, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Vietnamese.
• ACTFL: Afrikaans, Akan-Twi, Albanian, Algerian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Azerbaijani, Baluchi, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cambodian, Cantonese, Cebuano, Chavacano, Chechen, Czech, Danish, Dari, Dutch, Egyptian, English, Finnish, French, Ga, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong/Mong, Hungarian, Igbo, Ilocano, Indonesian, Iraqi, Italian, Japanese, Javanese, Jordanian, Kazakh, Kikongo, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Krio, Kurdish, Lao, Lebanese, Levantine, Lingala, Malay, Malayalam, Mandarin, Mandingo-Bambara, Mongolian, Moroccan, Nepali, Norwegian, Palestinian, Pashto, Persian Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Quechua, Romanian, Russian, Serbian/Croatian, Sindhi, Sinhalese, Slovak, Somali, Spanish, Sudanese, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, Tausug, Telugu, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Turkmen, Uighur, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Wolof, Yemeni, Yoruba, Zulu.

Range of languages in which students earn the State Seal of Biliteracy reflects the diversity of home languages students wish to study. Current law authorizes local educational agencies (LEAs) and charter schools to award a State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) to students who have demonstrated proficiency in English and another language.

As migration patterns change, students arrive in California schools speaking different home langauges. To help them continue to develop their home language and become biliterate, schools must offer courses of study in their home languages. They cannot do so if teachers are unable to take a language examination leading to a credential or authorization in that language.

The list below of smaller languages in which the SSB was earned in 2024-25 demonstrates the breadth of home language assets students bring to their education, and the number of languages they may wish to study in school. Languages for which there is no Advanced Placement assessment, and for which LEAs reported awarding the SSB, include:

Akan, Albanian, Amharic, Assyrian, Bangali, Bosnian, Sacramento, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cebuano, Chaldean, Czech, Danish, Dari, Dutch, Fijian, Finnish, Greek, Gujarati, Hungarian, Hupa, Igbo, Ilonggo, Indonesian, Kannada, Kazakh, Khmer, Lahu, Lao, Latvian, Lithuanian, Luganda, Luiseño, Malayalam, Mayan, Mongolian, Nepali, Otomian languages (Mixteco), Pashto, Patois, Persian, Philippine languages, Polish, Pomo, Romanian, Samoan, Serbo-Croatian, Sinhala, Sino-Tibetan, Swahili, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Alameda, Tigrinya, Tolowa, Tongan, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Visayan, Yoruba, and Yurok.

Other states use ACTFL assessments for teacher licensure. According to the ACTFL, 27 states use ACTFL language assessments for purposes of teacher licensure. Additionally, many states use the ACTL assessments for purposes of their SSBs.

ACTFL examinations can be used to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy. As of the 2023-24 school year, students can demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English, for purposes of fulfilling a requirement to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy, by passing a World Language ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) and an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) with scores of Intermediate Mid or higher.

English Learner Roadmap emphasizes an assets-based orientation toward home language. In 2017, the State Board of Education (SBE) approved the California English Learner Roadmap. This policy is intended to provide guidance to LEAs on welcoming, understanding, and educating the diverse population of students who are English learners attending California public schools.

A key tenet of this policy is Principle 1: Assets-Oriented and Needs-Responsive Schools. This includes the key element: “The languages and cultures English learners bring to their education are assets for their own learning and are important contributions to learning communities. These assets are valued and built upon in culturally responsive curriculum and instruction and in programs that support, wherever possible, the development of proficiency in multiple languages.”

Speaking a home language is obviously an asset that could be put to use in earning authorization to teach World Languages or in bilingual settings, but given the limited number of CSET examinations, this is not possible for some teachers.

Multiple policies promote biliteracy as a state goal. A number of state policies enacted or adopted in recent years support the goal of students achieving biliteracy. They include:

• The California English Learner Roadmap, adopted by the SBE in 2017, promotes an assets orientation toward primary language while students are also learning English, and that these assets are “valued and built upon in culturally responsive curriculum and instruction and in programs that support, wherever possible, the development of proficiency in multiple languages.”
• The Global California 2030 report, published by the California Department of Education (CDE) in 2019, set as a goal that by 2030, half of all K–12 students would be participating in programs leading to proficiency in two or more languages, either through a class, a program, or an experience, and by 2040, three out of four students would be proficient in two or more languages, earning them an SSB.
• The SSB, established by AB 815 (Brownley), Chapter 618, Statutes of 2011, recognizes proficiency in two languages in the form of a seal affixed to students’ high school diplomas.
• Proposition 58, passed by the voters in 2016, authorizes school districts to establish dual language immersion (DLI) programs for both native and non-native English speakers. 
• The state has created and funded several programs aimed at increasing the number of DLI programs and increasing the number of teachers who hold bilingual authorizations.

Arguments in support. One student writes, “In Los Angeles County, over 100,000 people speak Bengali, yet it isn't offered in public schools because California lacks a Bengali Language Teacher Credential.

At fifteen, I navigated the bureaucratic maze of teacher credentialing, working with Los Angeles Unified School District, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), and university officials, only to discover the core obstacle: no state proficiency exam exists for Bengali, placing the burden on institutions to create one—a process discouraging institutions from starting a program. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) already offers this exam, a standard accepted in 24 other states, including New York and Texas. We need California to utilize it.

Today, the CTC administers proficiency exams in only a handful of languages. Children from communities that speak less commonly spoken languages receive limited public school support to preserve their mother tongue, while students from Spanish- or Chinese-speaking communities benefit from established programs that help them excel in their native language.

AB 2652 better supports world language and bilingual education in California by:

Allowing world language teaching credential candidates to fulfill the subject matter requirement through a comparable ACTFL assessment in languages where the Commission offers no exam, opening a rigorous pathway for speakers of 120+ languages.

Allowing bilingual and English learner authorization candidates to fulfill their language requirement through an ACTFL assessment, so no language is suppressed simply because their mother tongue lacks a state proficiency exam.

Expanding bilingual services to California communities with concentrated speaker populations but no credentialing pathway

Ensuring children from all linguistic backgrounds see their language and heritage reflected in the classroom, sending a message that every culture belongs here.”

Recommended Committee amendments. Staff recommends that the bill be amended, to add “including but not limited to” to reference the ACTFL assessments, to recognize that there may be other comparable assessments that are suitable for this purpose.

Related legislation. AB 2325 (Alvarez) of the 2025-26 Session would require the CDE in consultation with the CTC, to establish the Bilingual Clinical Placement Registry, an online database for the purpose of connecting the preparation, credentialing, and long-term retention of teachers seeking to provide instruction in bilingual and multilingual settings.

AB 1306 (Muratsuchi), Chapter 727, Statutes of 2025, authorizes the CTC to approve a teacher education program offered by an LEA for purposes of enabling candidates to earn a cross-cultural language and academic development certificate (CLAD) or a bilingual authorization certificate, including a California Teacher of English Learners (CTEL) program.

AB 865 (Gonzalez) of the 2025-26 Session would have established the Dual Language Immersion Education Instructional Materials Grant Program for the purpose of providing additional supports to LEAs to increase available instructional materials in partner languages for DLI programs. This bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 2074 (Muratsuchi), Chapter 926, Statutes of 2024, requires the CDE to develop a statewide implementation plan for the English Learner Roadmap Policy.

AB 154 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 43, Statutes of 2022, appropriated $5 million for the Asian Language Bilingual Teacher Education Program Consortium with the California State University, to increase the number of credentialed teachers with Asian language bilingual authorization.

SB 952 (Limon) of the 2021-22 Session would have revised and recasted a three-year competitive DLI grant program administered by the CDE. This bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 2514 (Thurmond), Chapter 763, Statutes of 2018, establishes the Pathways to Success Grant Program, for the purpose of providing grants for the establishment and expansion of DLI programs, developmental bilingual programs for English learners, and early learning dual language learners programs.

AB 130 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 44, Statutes of 2021, appropriated $10 million for a DLI grant program, to award 25 one-time grants over a period of 3 fiscal years to eligible entities to expand or establish DLI programs.

AB 952 (Reyes) of the 2017-18 Session, as it passed this Committee, would have established the Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program and requires the CDE to allocate grant funding for purposes of providing professional development services to specified teachers and paraprofessionals to provide instruction to ELs. This bill was vetoed by the Governor, who stated:

California recently provided funds to support teachers and paraprofessionals interested in becoming bilingual teachers. This past spring the Commission awarded one-time grants to higher education institutions that sought to create or improve four-year integrated teacher education programs, including for bilingual teachers. Before making additional investments on this matter, I believe it's wise to first assess the success of our current programs.

AB 99 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 15, Statutes of 2017, establishes the Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program and requires the CDE to allocate grant funding for purposes of providing professional development services to specified teachers and paraprofessionals to provide instruction to ELs.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

1 individual

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087