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. 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 field.

The act mandates an annual appropriation of $500,000 by the General Assembly, commencing in fiscal year 2026, to support these scholarship programs, with the possibility of additional funds for administrative and implementation efforts. Charitable donations may also be accepted to further fund the scholarship initiatives.

Eligibility requirements for scholarship recipients include commitments to work full-time in urban schools for a specified duration after certification, maintaining a minimum GPA of 2.5, and completing the FAFSA or Rhode Island alternative application for state postsecondary student financial assistance. The office of the postsecondary commissioner is tasked with administering the scholarship programs in conjunction with Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island.

The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2025, and aims to increase the number of qualified educators to improve educational outcomes for multilingual learners in the state.