More than 30 states and the District of Columbia have reported shortages of bilingual, dual-immersion, and English-as-a-second-language teachers, finds a new report by New America’s Dual Language Learners National Work Group.
The report tracked multilingual paraprofessionals in Minneapolis; Orange County, Calif.; San Antonio; Seattle; and the District of Columbia who are prime candidates to fill vacancies related to bilingual education. It found paraprofessionals face bureaucratic, financial, and linguistic barriers that make it tough to earn teaching credentials. Moreover, little formal professional development is available for paraprofessionals, and most reported learning about teaching pathways mainly via word of mouth.
