The proposed legislation, known as the "Bilingual and Dual Language and World Language Teachers Investment Act," aims to address the shortage of bilingual, dual language, and world language teachers in Rhode Island, particularly in urban core and urban ring public schools, where there is a growing population of multilingual students. The act authorizes the office of the postsecondary commissioner to expand the issuance of bilingual, dual language, and world language teacher certificates by establishing two scholarship programs: one for college students pursuing certification and another for eligible teachers already in the workforce.

Key components of the act include detailed eligibility requirements for scholarship recipients, which require recipients to commit to working full-time in an urban core or urban ring public school within one year of certification completion and to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5. The act mandates an annual appropriation of $500,000 by the General Assembly, starting in fiscal year 2026, to support these scholarship programs, with the possibility of additional funds for administrative and implementation efforts. Charitable donations to the scholarship program are also permitted.

The office of the postsecondary commissioner, in conjunction with Rhode Island College (RIC) and the University of Rhode Island (URI), is tasked with administering the scholarship programs and developing policies to secure commitments from recipients. The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2025.