Expand multilingual workforce data and cross-system strategic planning to grow the supply of bilingual instructors¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 2 studies (1 associational, 1 design), q2 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The brief recommends expanding available program and workforce data by collecting more comprehensive program data and making existing workforce data publicly accessible, convening state and regional cross-system workforce planning initiatives, and making strategic state investments in programs expanding the supply of staff prepared for multilingual instructional programs. It states that bringing multilingual instruction to scale "will not be possible without a strategic and significant expansion of multilingualism in the workforce."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Comprehensive program data collection, public access to workforce data, and cross-system planning initiatives

Constraints¶

• The brief notes these are feasible extensions of ongoing state initiatives such as the Cradle-to-Career Data System and the Educator Workforce Investment grant

Target Learners¶

• English Learner students in California multilingual instructional programs

Target Learning Goals¶

• Access to instruction supporting linguistic and academic proficiency in multiple languages

Claims¶

• California's CalSAAS dashboards exclude teacher turnover and retention data needed for workforce planning [+W]
• BCLAD-authorized educators are in low supply in California and their assignments are often misaligned with bilingual program demand [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Invest in program coordination, instructional coaching, and bilingual paraprofessional career pathways to improve English Learner program design
• Publish school-level educator race/ethnicity data and program-completer and retention data on state dashboards

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Jacobson, A., Porter, L., Hadley, L., Alcalá, L., & Willis, J. (2025). Strategic and economic analysis of English Learner programs in California: Project brief. WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED673563