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HB 1228

Building a multilingual, multiliterate Washington through dual and tribal language education.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Emily Alvarado and 26 co-sponsors

HB 1228 establishes statewide dual and tribal language education programs in Washington schools, creating funding and standards to expand multilingual learning pathways.

Effective date 6/6/2024.
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Bill Summary · HB 1228

Legislative bill overview

HB 1228 establishes a statewide framework to expand dual language and tribal language education programs in Washington schools. The bill creates funding mechanisms, establishes program standards, and requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to support districts in developing multilingual and multiliterate student pathways.

Why is this important

Washington has significant populations of speakers of languages including Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and numerous tribal languages. Research indicates students in dual language programs show improved academic outcomes in both languages and stronger cognitive development, while tribal language programs address the historical suppression of Indigenous languages and support cultural preservation and sovereignty.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding allocation: Determining how new resources are distributed among districts with varying populations and existing program infrastructure, and whether funding is sufficient to launch quality programs statewide
  • Teacher workforce: Significant shortage of certified educators fluent in targeted languages, particularly for less commonly taught and tribal languages, may limit implementation timelines
  • Implementation timeline and equity: Risk that well-resourced districts implement programs faster than under-resourced ones, potentially widening educational disparities rather than closing them

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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