In a striking contrast to California's historical struggles with bilingual education, Texas has emerged as a leader in effectively supporting English learners in its K–12 schools. Texas enrolls nearly 40% of its English learners in some form of best-in-class bilingual education, which is twice the rate of California.
José Miguel Kubes, the superintendent of Delhi Unified, a small district nestled in California’s Central Valley, views dual language immersion programs as a form of "language reparations." He reflects on the harm caused during California's 18 years of English-only education policies, stating, "There was harm done during those 18 years of English-only, and it’s our jobs as educators to do something about it."
Delhi Unified serves a student body that is over 90% Latino, with around 40% classified as English learners and approximately 75% speaking a non-English language at home. This demographic reality is emblematic of the region's agricultural economy, which has long depended on immigrant labor. Despite California's historical success in attracting a diverse range of cultures, its approach to bilingual education has been inconsistent.
In 1998, California voters passed Proposition 227, which banned bilingual education for nearly all English-learning children. This decision stripped hundreds of thousands of linguistically diverse children of their emerging bilingual abilities for nearly two decades. As Kubes notes, this was a disaster for kids. Research shows that bilingual and dual language immersion programs are the most effective models for English learners to acquire proficiency in English while simultaneously developing their primary language skills.
When voters lifted the bilingual education ban in 2016, California's political leaders, including Democratic Governor Jerry Brown and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, set ambitious goals through their "Global California 2030" initiative. They pledged to have at least half of all California students enrolled in bilingual schools by 2030. However, nine years later, progress towards this goal has been slow.
In stark contrast, Texas has mandated bilingual education for over 50 years. In 2019, the state further committed to multilingualism by overhauling its school funding formula to incentivize districts to adopt research-aligned programming for English learners. Texas provides districts with a weighted funding boost for language instruction, expanding this support for dual language immersion programs.
These dual language programs, which integrate English learners and English-dominant students, have seen significant success. In Texas, English learners have consistently outperformed their counterparts in California on the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) in both math and reading since 2011. Moreover, achievement gaps between native English speakers and English learners in Texas are smaller than those in California.
The importance of states' English learner policies is magnified as the Trump administration reduces funding for the federal Office of English Language Acquisition, which oversees hundreds of millions of dollars earmarked for supporting the 5 million English learners nationwide. As funding cuts loom, states will determine the depth of their investment in supporting these students.
In California, local efforts like those in Delhi are pushing back against the state’s troubled English-only past. The district relaunched dual language immersion programs about a decade ago, and in 2022, under Kubes's leadership, it deepened its commitment to these programs. District leaders have actively engaged families in discussions about the importance of maintaining home languages.
Gena Buchanan, principal at El Capitan Elementary in Delhi, emphasizes that the educational offerings are tailored to the community's needs. “What we offer is based on the needs of the community. It’s tailored to them. We used to have dual language immersion at just one site, but parents at the other schools started advocating for it, too,” she explained.
The shift has resulted in significant changes for families in Delhi. Over 50% of the district’s nearly 900 English learners are now enrolled in dual language programs. Long-time residents, like Rosa Gonzalez, principal at Harmony Elementary and a former student during California's English-only era, see this as a personal victory. She shared her own experience of losing fluency in Spanish and the heartbreak of struggling to communicate with her grandparents. “I didn’t want my kids to have to go through that,” she said.
While local reforms like those in Delhi demonstrate that California schools can deliver effective language education, these efforts remain limited in scope without significant statewide policy changes. In the near decade since bilingual education was relaunched, California has not made substantial changes to ensure districts provide greater access to bilingual classrooms or offered the resources necessary to facilitate this.
Despite these challenges, dual language immersion programs not only benefit English learners but can also help all children become bilingual. Rosa Nuno, a parent in Delhi, brought her children to the United States eager for them to learn English while also maintaining their connection to their native language and culture. “The more languages they learn, the better,” she stated, expressing her desire for her children to feel proud of their roots.
Buchanan, the principal at El Capitan, is also on her own bilingual journey. “I’m English-only,” she admits, “but seeing the benefits of dual language, I’m telling my children to enroll my grandchildren in our program. I’m an incredible supporter of it now.”
As both Texas and California navigate the complexities of bilingual education, the disparity in their approaches highlights the critical need for effective policies that support English learners. While Texas has set a standard for bilingual education, California’s local initiatives, like those in Delhi, continue to pave the way for a more inclusive and effective educational landscape.
