• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
CONTACT DONATE

Californians Together

Championing the Success of English Learners

  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Our Mission and Focus
    • Our Coalition
    • Our Board
    • Our Staff
  • Areas of Focus
    • English Learner Roadmap
      • Teacher Toolkits
      • English Learner Roadmap Resource Hub
    • Multiple Pathways
    • Alas y Voz Campaign
    • Support for Immigrant and Refugee Students
    • English Learner Leadership & Legacy Initiative
    • Common Core
    • LCFF/LCAP
    • Local Control Funding Formula
    • Long Term English Learners
  • Advocacy
    • Legislative Updates
  • Events
    • EL RISE!
  • Media
    • Blog
    • Media Coverage
    • Webinars & Videos
    • Newsletters
    • Press Releases
  • Publications
    • The Latest
    • Biliteracy
    • Common Core
    • English Learner Road Map
    • ESSA
    • LCFF
    • LTEL
    • SIRS
    • teachers
  • Store
    • Cart
    • My account

Proposition 58

TAKE ACTION! Assembly Bill AB 1012 (Reyes)

April 3, 2019 by Claudia Vizcarra

ASSEMBLY BILL AB 1012 (Reyes)

Amended March 14, 2019  

Bilingual and Biliteracy Program Support and Recognition

We need your help to show the members of the Assembly Education Committee that we are serious about implementing the promise of Proposition 58 of 2016 – Biliteracy for All Students!!

AB 1012 (Reyes), amended March 14, 2019, will further invest in establishing new dual language immersion and developmental bilingual programs and in building the bilingual teacher capacity needed to teach our students from pre-school and Kindergarten through 12th grade!

AB 1012 (Reyes) proposes to provide three years of funding, beginning fiscal year 2020-2021 through 2022-2023! Additionally, an investment is proposed to build the capacity of our bilingual teacher preparation programs in Schools of Education at the UC, CSU systems and private non-profit postsecondary education institutions, as well as preparing ECE teachers on the strategies and best practices of instructing children who are dual language learners in early childhood education programs at the Community College system.

Lastly, AB 1012 (Reyes) would provide state recognition of exemplary dual language immersion or dual immersion programs in licensed child care development programs and in elementary and secondary schools that promote dual language development and biliteracy.

AB 1012 (Reyes) is sponsored by CABE, Californians Together, Early Edge and the Advancement Project. Help us provide the critical resources necessary for districts and schools to begin implementing the vision of biliteracy for all. The bill will be heard on April 10, 2019.

Please click on link below to send a letter NOW and show the members of the Assembly Education Committee the support this bill has from educators, parents and communities from throughout the state!!!.

Thank you!!

Filed Under: Action Alerts Tagged With: AB 1012, Biliteracy, Proposition 58, Reyes

Victory for Proposition 58 Guarantees that Parents and Educators Can Choose the Best Language Education Program for Students in California

November 9, 2016 by Van Ou

Overwhelming majority of California voters said Yes to opening the doors and providing more opportunities for Multilingual Education in California Schools

Los Angeles, CA (November 9. 2016) Once more California will lead the nation in recognizing the value and importance of students graduating from our schools proficient in English and one or more other languages. California students, parents and teachers can now freely decide the best possible language program for their children. With the passage of Proposition 58, California is embracing its diversity, giving the hands-on decision of the best language education programs back to those closest to the students. [Read more…] about Victory for Proposition 58 Guarantees that Parents and Educators Can Choose the Best Language Education Program for Students in California

Filed Under: Press Releases Tagged With: Biliteracy, Proposition 58

Victory for Proposition 58 Guarantees that Parents and Educators Can Choose the Best Language Education Program for Students in California

November 8, 2016 by Claudia Vizcarra

For Immediate Release:  November 9, 2016                                                   
Contacts: CABE:Jan Gustafson-Corea (951)662-0795, Californians Together: Shelly Spiegel-Coleman  562-756-0493

Overwhelming majority of California voters said Yes to opening the doors and providing more opportunities for Multilingual Education in California Schools

Los Angeles, CA (November 9, 2016) Once more California will lead the nation in recognizing the value and importance of students graduating from our schools proficient in English and one or more other languages. California students, parents and teachers can now freely decide the best possible language program for their children. With the passage of Proposition 58, California is embracing its diversity, giving the hands-on decision of the best language education programs back to those closest to the students.

“As president of Californians Together and a school board member, I am thrilled that the electorate sees being bilingual as an asset, and we will work with policy makers and school districts to make this a reality for California’s students”, said Xilonin Cruz Gonzalez.

This vote removes the barriers put in place 18 years ago by a previous proposition that mandated a “one size fits all” approach to educating 1.4 million students learning English in California schools and diminishing the opportunity for all students to learn another language. Starting July, 2017, any 20 parents at a grade level or 30 parents at a school site can initiate the conversation and planning process for determining with educators the best approach to prepare all students for the 21st  century with communication skills in two languages.

“Eliminating barriers and creating equal opportunities for students has been a life-long passion of mine. I’m so proud that the voters of California voted to give all students a chance to learn by overwhelmingly passing Prop 58,” said Senator Ricardo Lara (D-33), author of the legislation that created the proposition.  “This decisive vote helps restore the pride in being multi-lingual as a valued skill and reflects a cultural shift toward openness and acceptance of people from all different backgrounds.”

In addition to the whole education community, the California Business Roundtable, the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Medical Association among many more supported Proposition 58 as essential for equipping students with the skills and abilities to meet the demands of our local communities, state and nation. California’s graduates will be our next doctors, teachers, service providers, and business leaders who can build bridges with the use of their bilingualism and confidence to move across California’s diverse ethnic and linguistic communities.

As the sixth-largest economy in the world, California’s passage of Proposition 58 encourages California schools to offer multilingual programs to ensure that our students become proficient in English while also having the chance to learn in other languages.  Currently, only 425 of the 10,393 public schools in California offer dual language immersion programs.

In 2010 California became the first state in the United States to establish a state Seal of Biliteracy. Currently, 22 states and Washington DC public schools have adopted a statewide Seal of Biliteracy to honor graduating seniors who are proficient in English and another language. With the passing of Proposition 58, California continues to demonstrate its commitment to the education and advancement of its richly diverse population.

“This is an historic day.  The California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) will be working from now until Proposition 58 is implemented in July, 2017 to help support and prepare our schools, teachers, administrators and school board members to best plan for this exciting new era in public education” said Karling Aguilera Fort, president of CABE.

For more information on next steps now that Proposition 58

 has passed please visit:

http://www.gocabe.org/prop58

www.californianstogether.org

Californians Together is a statewide coalition of 25 parent, teacher, education advocacy and civil rights groups committed to improving policy and practice for educating the state’s 1.4 million English Learners. Since 2001, Californians Together, a nonprofit organization, has served as a clarion voice on behalf of language minority students in California public schools

California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) is a non-profit organization incorporated in 1976 to promote a vision of biliteracy, educational equity, and 21st century success for all.   CABE is a statewide association with members and  chapters  throughout California along with partnerships with other state and national advocacy organizations  who work to promote equity and student achievement for students with diverse cultural, racial, and linguistic backgrounds.

Filed Under: Press Releases Tagged With: Biliteracy, Proposition 58

Support Proposition 58 – the LEARN Initiative

July 15, 2016 by Claudia Vizcarra

Dear  Supporters of Proposition 58 – The LEARN Initiative

Many of us are familiar with the EdGE (Education for a Global Economy) initiative, well it now has a new name.  Proposition 58 is the ballot initiative now renamed as the LEARN initiative.  LEARN stands for Language Education Acquisition Readiness Now.

Californians Together and CABE are working with the official Yes on 58 campaign to secure endorsements for the LEARN Initiative from school boards, organizations and individuals. We would appreciate your efforts to help us achieve our goal of at least 40 district endorsements by the end of August and at least 20 endorsements from other organizations. Simply emailing these documents out to friends is not enough. We urge you to follow-up with personal communication face to face or at least by phone.

The attached packet provides background and sample resolutions. If you are able to secure an endorsement, please send a copy of the completed and signed endorsement document to the two individuals listed in the packet. If you have questions please contact Peter Schilla at pschilla@gmail.com or call him at (916)343-1537.  You may also contact Shelly Spiegel Coleman at CABEPAC2016@gmail.com or 562-756-0493.

Together we can win in November and see a bright new future for high quality multilingual programs for all students.

Peter Schilla, Shelly Spiegel Coleman and Jan Gustafson Corea

Click here to download attachment 

Filed Under: Action Alerts Tagged With: Biliteracy, Proposition 58

© 2021 · Californians Together
525 E. 7th Street, Suite C203
Long Beach, CA 90813