AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 9, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

97

Introduced by Assembly Member Alvarez

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Garcia, Jeff Gonzalez, Solache, and Ahrens)

February 18, 2026

An act to amend Section 44612 of the Education Code, relating to teachers.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law, the World Language Teacher Exchange and Recruitment Law of 1963, requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules and regulations under which teachers employed by California school districts may exchange positions with teachers in schools in other countries for a period of one year or less. Existing law requires the arrangements for the exchanges to be made through the State Department of Education and in cooperation with the teacher exchange programs administered by agencies of the federal government.

This bill would revise and recast those provisions by, among other things, (1) no longer requiring the state board to adopt regulations, (2) no longer requiring the department to administer the program or take actions necessary to carry out the program, (3) expressly providing for exchanges with Mexico and Spain, (4) expanding the authorized exchanges to include county offices of education and charter schools, (5) eliminating the one-year time limit on the exchanges, and (6), if regulations are adopted, requiring those regulations to authorize specified visa sponsors designated by the United States Department of State to sponsor teachers from other countries, including Mexico and Spain, for placement in California school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to promote cultural exchange for specified purposes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 44612 of the Education Code is amended to read:

44612.

(a) (1) The state board may adopt rules and regulations under which teachers employed by California local educational agencies may exchange positions with teachers in schools in other countries, including Mexico and Spain. The arrangements for the exchanges shall be made in cooperation with the teacher exchange programs administered by agencies of the federal government.

(2) Any rules and regulations adopted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall authorize J-1 visa sponsors designated by the United States Department of State to sponsor teachers from other countries, including Mexico and Spain, for placement in California local educational agencies to promote cultural exchange for both of the following purposes:

(A) To foster cross-cultural understanding by allowing teachers from other countries, including Mexico and Spain, to share their knowledge, traditions, and teaching methodologies with pupils and educators in California.

(B) To provide participating teachers with firsthand experience in the United States education system, strengthening international collaboration and encouraging mutual appreciation of diverse educational approaches and cultural perspectives.

(C) To ensure California pupils can engage in bilingual instruction and assist local educational agencies in supporting diverse language learning opportunities.

(b) Grants from the federal government or any department or agency thereof may be accepted by the state, its agencies, and local educational agencies to be expended pursuant to the programs and plans enumerated in this article.

(c) For purposes of this section, “local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school.