Coalition for Multilingual Rhode Island asks council to back bilingual‑education bill

Erin Papa, cofounder and executive director of the Coalition for Multilingual Rhode Island, asked the North Providence Town Council to adopt a resolution supporting state bills to expand bilingual education and to create a local task force to help the district grow dual‑language programs.

"Over a quarter of North Providence residents report speaking languages other than English at home," Papa said, noting about 13% of North Providence public‑school students qualify as multilingual learners in a recent data brief. She described a coalition network of 32 organizations seeking to prepare and recruit bilingual educators and to create a bilingual education fund to help districts cover certification and program costs.

Council members asked whether the bill would impose unfunded mandates on municipalities. Papa said the coalition’s proposal anticipates a fund of just under $1,000,000 statewide to help districts meet training and staffing needs, and that the resolution would not require immediate local fiscal commitments. The council voted to refer the resolution to the audience committee for further consideration and to receive more specific local impact materials.

Papa offered the coalition’s help forming a district‑level task force and said the group can provide partners and seed funding experience from a Rhode Island Foundation catalyst grant that supports teacher preparation.