Unforgetting the Past, Envisioning Tomorrow: Rebuilding Bilingual Teacher Pathways for a Multilingual California

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:45 pm - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Preparing Teachers to Revisit and Respond to the Linguistic Landscape

Abstract

This roundtable, Rebuilding Bilingual Teacher Pathways, explores the state’s progress in building a robust bilingual teacher pipeline in alignment with the goals of Global California 2030. While Proposition 58 has expanded bilingual education opportunities, a shortage of qualified bilingual teachers remains a pressing challenge. Drawing on statewide data and conversations with bilingual education coordinators, this presentation highlights effective practices, lessons learned, and policy recommendations to support a teacher workforce that reflects California’s multilingual student population. In response to the 2026 AERA themes, this work embraces “unforgetting histories” to inform equitable educational change. By examining past struggles and triumphs in bilingual education, we imagine thriving, inclusive pathways forward—centering justice, sustainability, and the power of multilingualism in education research and practice.

Authors

• Nirmla Griarte Flores, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

• Clara Amador-Lankster, National University

• Adam Sawyer, California State University - Bakersfield

• Eduardo Rafael Munoz-Munoz, San José State University

• Danna Moreno, UC Santa Cruz