Assemblymember rewrites California’s racist laws and takes a stand against Trump’s EO 14224

“It is in America’s best interest for the federal government to designate one — and only one — official language.” – President Trump

President Trump’s Executive Order 14224 brings back memories of a traumatic history – a legacy of forced assimilation and erasure of traditional cultures of ethnic minorities. It’s a reminder that states must step up to protect and uplift our people, no matter where they come from.

Today, Assemblymember Mark González, who represents Assembly District 54, proudly unveils a bill that would both expand educational equity and reconcile historic, oppressive state laws. AB 2332, if signed into law, would establish a Dual Language Immersion Coordinator here in the State of California.

Uplifting our diverse students
DLI programs are a form of education in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages, English and a partner language. More than 70 percent of Assembly District 54 speaks a language other than English at home — including Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Japanese. DLI programs are the most effective language instruction approach and the best method to close the achievement gap between native and non-native English-speaking peers.

“If we want our communities to put their trust in us, then we must show that we are willing to invest in what works,” said González. “We must streamline these programs, rather than allowing bureaucracy to drain time and energy from our already overburdened educators. They are giving everything they have. It’s time for the state to match that commitment.”

“We are excited to see AB 2332 advance out of the Assembly Education Committee, marking an important step toward expanding high-quality dual language immersion programs across California,” said Dahni Tsuboi, CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California. “This progress is especially significant for Asian language communities, where Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Cantonese remain among the top languages spoken by English learners and yet face persistent gaps in access. We are proud to work with Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, who continues to be a strong voice for language justice. Today’s vote helps move California closer to a future where multilingual education is supported and accessible to all.”

California’s racist history
AB 2332 seeks to turn around decades of exclusionary policies in the California education system.

An English-only law on books stood until 2016, and California schools have yet to recover. A decades-long prohibition has led to a decimated teacher pipeline and chronic underfunding for these programs. Despite the diverse population of California, only 10 percent of California students learning English got a bilingual education, compared to Texas, where 40 percent did. Both states introduced bilingual education requirements at the same time – only California fell behind.

While efforts by the state have attempted to bridge the gap, the California Department of Education does not currently have any staff facilitating more than1,075 DLI programs and 110,847 enrolled students across the state. In this uncoordinated system, students suffer, and California is failing to meet its 2030 goal of 1,600 programs.

Without meaningful infrastructure or leadership, the burden shifted to individual educators. Teachers often volunteer their time to create new programs due to a lack of funding and state resources. California must take accountability for these setbacks and support the educators working to advance bilingual education today.

“Dual language immersion is an effective educational model that supports increased engagement and helps our students to embrace the diversity of our communities,” said joint author Assemblymember José Solache. “Increasing coordination for dual language immersion programs stands to improve academic outcomes for students and strengthen our state’s programs for future success. I commend Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez for his leadership on this important educational measure.”

“California is home to more than 200 languages, and that diversity is our strength,” said joint author Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva. “It has shaped who we are and taught us how to listen, understand one another, and lead in a connected world. AB 2332 makes clear that every student who wants to learn in more than one language should have that opportunity. By designating a coordinator to expand Dual Language Immersion programs, we take a step toward a future that respects every voice and prepares the next generation to succeed.”

What AB 2332 will do
For Local Education Agencies interested in building a DLI program, there is no database on operating programs or points of contact for resources. LEAs need access to existing programs for subject matter expertise, materials, and curriculum, but the existence of these programs is not widely shared. As a result, LEAs often rely on word of mouth.

Administrative barriers also prevent LEAs from collaborating and sharing resources. Even simple material sharing requires individual Memorandums of Understanding, which can be intimidating and time-consuming for educators. Therefore, they will simply create their own DLI program from scratch.

AB 2332 would establish the first dedicated DLI position at CDE.

The Dual Language Immersion Program Coordinator will be responsible for
• Providing support for LEAs to establish MOUs with other LEAs for resource sharing.
• Connecting LEAs seeking to establish a new DLI program with existing programs.
• Documenting a statewide directory of DLI programs.

By building a network of existing programs and offering established assets, AB 2332 will incentivize growth, reduce costs and save schools significant time.

Across California, educators are unnecessarily replicating their efforts in isolation. This bill will reduce that burden and allow teachers to focus on serving our diverse student population. It stands in defiance of EO 14224 while making a necessary step toward educational equity and multilingual proficiency.

About Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez
Assemblymember Mark González is the Assembly Majority Whip. He serves on the Committees on Appropriations, Health, Public Safety, Rules, and Utilities & Energy. He represents the 54th District, composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Commerce, Montebello and Vernon.

About Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice – AAJC (Washington, DC), Advancing Justice – Atlanta, Advancing Justice – Chicago, and Advancing Justice Southern California.