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Bilingual education credential

Bilingual education credentials authorize teachers to deliver content instruction in a language other than English. Despite a research base associating bilingual programs with the strongest academic outcomes for classified ELs, the credential is not universally available across states.

Availability by state

Not offered
Add-on only
Standalone offered

Requirements (where add-on)

Among states with an add-on bilingual endorsement, requirements vary substantially. Only 19 require completion of an approved preparation program; only 25 require demonstrated proficiency in a non-English language.

State % EL Standalone Add-on Program Coursework Practicum Test Language
Alaska 10.8 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓ — —
Arizona 8.2 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ — ✓
California 17.4 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓
Colorado 13.0 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Connecticut 11.3 — ✓ ? ✓ — — ✓
Delaware 13.3 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓
District of Columbia 14.1 ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ? ✓ ?
Hawaii 10.0 ✓ — ? ? ? ? ?
Idaho 5.8 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Illinois 16.4 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓ — ✓
Louisiana 5.3 — ✓ ? ✓ ? — ✓
Massachusetts 13.1 — ✓ ? ✓ ✓ — ✓
Michigan 6.4 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Minnesota 9.6 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ? ✓
Nebraska 7.3 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Nevada 13.8 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓
New Jersey 10.6 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ? ✓
New Mexico 18.8 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ — ✓ ✓
New York 10.7 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
North Carolina 11.9 ✓ ✓ ? ? ? ? ?
North Dakota 3.3 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓ — ✓
Ohio 4.6 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ — ?
Oregon 12.6 ✓ ✓ — — — — ✓
Rhode Island 13.5 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
South Carolina 5.8 — ✓ — ✓ — — ?
Texas 24.3 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓
Utah 8.7 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ — ✓
Vermont 2.0 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Virginia 9.4 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓
Washington 15.1 — ✓ ✓ ? ? ✓ ✓
Wisconsin 5.9 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

States not offering a bilingual credential

20 states do not offer a bilingual education credential at all.