California just passed a law to grow dual language immersion. The next question is who will teach those classes.

On September 27, Governor Newsom signed AB 2332 (Chapter 598, Statutes of 2026). It passed both houses without a single “no” vote. The law calls for the California Department of Education to:

• Designate a statewide Dual Language Immersion Coordinator by July 1, 2027, to help districts launch and expand programs.

• Publish a public directory of operating programs by January 1, 2028.

That’s good news for students. It also means more demand for credentialed teachers who are fully fluent in Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, and other partner languages, and those teachers are hard to find domestically. Many districts already recruit abroad. In one recent school year, California school districts received 294 H-1B visas.

For districts and teachers, the federal rules are in flux:
🔹 The $100,000 H-1B payment. Court orders currently block the fee for new petitions for workers abroad, and USCIS is not collecting it. But the government is appealing, and a new proclamation extends the policy through September 2027, though that extension is blocked for now too.

🔹 The weighted H-1B lottery. Since the FY 2027 season, higher wage levels get more lottery entries. Districts on fixed salary schedules can’t easily raise an offer to improve the odds, so it’s worth reviewing whether any cap exemption applies.

🔹 J-1 exchange teachers. In July, the State Department proposed tighter J-1 rules on program terminations and extensions. Many J-1 teachers are also subject to the two-year home residency requirement, which can complicate a later move to H-1B or a green card.

Practical steps for districts:

1. Map partner-language hiring needs now, ahead of the 2027–28 expansion.

2. Choose a visa pathway for each hire deliberately: J-1, cap-subject or cap-exempt H-1B, or a longer-term green card strategy.

3. Budget for contingencies, since the fee litigation could go either way.

For dual immersion teachers on visas: know your status end dates, and talk to counsel before changing schools, districts, or roles.

AB 2332 builds the infrastructure. Immigration planning will help decide whether districts can staff it.

***Disclaimer: This post is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is fact specific. Please contact our office to discuss how this decision may affect your individual situation.***