Interest in dual language immersion programs has grown in the last two decades as a high-quality bilingual education response for all students, but especially for English learners. On March 8, Cal State San Bernardino will host the third Dual Immersion Symposium to address the growing need for bilingual educators.

Presented by CSUSB’s James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education, the symposium, “Equity in Technology,” will take place at the college, room CE 105, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 8.

The event aims to bring together educators, leaders and advocates passionate about advancing dual language immersion programs and equitable access to technology in education. Registration, which is free, can be done online at the third Dual Immersion Symposium event webpage.

After welcome remarks by Watson College Dean Chinaka DomNwachukwu, Jordi Solsona-Puig, CSUSB assistant professor of education, Bilingual Authorization co-coordinator and Dual Immersion Symposium chair, will speak on “Technology in Dual Immersion Programs: Is the Inland Empire the Next Frontier?”

Keynote addresses will follow. Germaine Garcia-Kaufman of Garner Holt Education will speak on “Technology and how it represents the importance of language and cultural learning;” and Lainey Pickett, a dual language immersion teacher from École Saint-Landry in Louisiana, will present “Lâche Pas: The Promise of AI in Immersion Education in Louisiana.”

The balance of the symposium will feature breakout sessions. Two, “Utilizing technology strategically in DLI programs” and “A STEAM program for Dual Language Immersion Learning,” will be presented in English and Spanish. Also on the schedule is “Unlocking Potential: Harnessing AI for Inclusive Immersion Curriculum Development” in English, and “Recursos y Programas de la Agregaduría de Educación” in Spanish.

The demand for bilingual educators has grown exponentially as communities across the nation recognize the benefits of multilingual education. Research consistently shows that bilingual instruction improves academic outcomes, enhances cognitive development, and fosters cross-cultural understanding. Despite this, many schools struggle to find qualified bilingual teachers to meet the needs of their diverse student populations.

A report by the Learning Policy Institute estimated that over 400,000 teaching positions were either unfilled or filled by teachers not fully certified. This shortage is especially severe in bilingual education, where the need for qualified teachers consistently exceeds the available supply. In that same line, the California State University system, of which CSUSB is a part, produces approximately 50% of new bilingual teachers in California.

Visit the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential Bilingual Authorization Option webpage for more information.