Today, AB 2117, authored by Assemblymember Joe Coto (D- San Jose), was signed into law. This significant legislation will assist California’s 1.6 million English learners to experience greater success. These students, one quarter of California’s public school learners, remain one of our most underserved populations.

The bill calls for a three-year, best practices study of what works best in schools for English learners. Over 25,000 students will be included in the study. It includes a competitive grant process directed by a statewide advisory committee and administered by the California Department of Education. The grants, spread among all K-12 schools throughout the state, will be evaluated through a design funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The results of this three-year study will then be collected and substantiated as best practices in English Learner education. The collected knowledge will be made available to all schools by the California Department of Education and used widely to create the best possible programs.

The bill was a result of the Assembly Education Committee’s Working Group process this past winter and spring. Assemblymember Coto facilitated the English learner Working Group as it sought to analyze the issues and propose sound public policy. The concepts included in AB 2117 achieved bipartisan support in the Working Group process. The bill is co-authored by all eleven Members of the committee. Twenty million dollars has been put in the budget to fund this effort.

“AB 2117 is about identifying core principles that lead to English Learner success and spreading successful approaches and strategies across California for use by all. Many districts feel their teachers need more training in this area. Our inability to serve English Learners well has a significant personal impact on each of these students. In addition, it hampers California’s economy by failing to enable all to achieve their full potential as part of the future workforce,” said Coto.