$10 Million Dual Language Immersion Grant – Year 2022 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that 27 schools and school districts were selected through a competitive grant process to receive up to $400,000 each to expand a current dual language immersion program or establish a new one.

“I applaud these schools for taking the initiative to invest in their dual language immersion programs,” Thurmond said. “Schools with strong dual language immersion programs are proven to promote strong academic performance among students from all backgrounds and, in the end, prepare our students for college and careers in a highly competitive global marketplace where speaking more than one language is a critical skill.”

Source: $10 Million Dual Language Immersion Grant – Year 2022 (CA Dept of Education)

Torlakson Applauds Dual Language Signing – Year 2018 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson thanked Gov. Brown for signing legislation to promote Dual Language Immersion programs in California. Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, D-Richmond, authored the bill.

Assembly Bill 2514 creates 10 grants of $300,000 that will be available to districts to start Dual Language Immersion programs.

Money will still have to be allocated by the Department of Finance, but Torlakson said he would strongly advocate for the funding.

“This is a great first step in creating a program that will support the expansion of Dual Language Immersion programs,” he said. “Students and their families want the chance to learn more than one language.”

Torlakson said the legislation advances the goals of his initiative, Global California 2030, to vastly increase the number of students who are fluent in two languages.

“Numerous studies show that fluency in another language boosts students’ mental flexibility and enhances their ability to learn all subjects. This legislation could open the door by giving more students the opportunity to become fluent in a world language by making it easier for districts to launch Dual Language Immersion programs, allowing students to start learning a world language in kindergarten.”

Source: Torlakson Applauds Dual Language Signing – Year 2018 (CA Dept of Education)

New California law expands low-income parents’ access to subsidized child care | EdSource

By Ashley Hopkinson

In an effort to remove obstacles for Californians trying to succeed in the labor market, a new law could make access to child care easier for low-income parents taking classes to learn English or complete high school.

The law will expand the eligibility requirements for subsidized child care. It will make low-income parents who are are enrolled in English as a second language classes (ESL) or a program to earn a high school diploma or general education development certificate (GED) eligible to place their children in subsidized care.

Although in the past some parents taking ESL classes were considered eligible for subsidized care, it was not specifically listed as a factor for eligibility.

Source: New California law expands low-income parents’ access to subsidized child care | EdSource

Dual-language event returns to B. Gale Wilson School – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

The annual event called Vamos! – part of the Dual Immersion Program – returns May 20 to B. Gale Wilson School, school officials announced.

The event will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. at the school, 3301 Cherry Hills Court. There will be food, entertainment, a basket prize drawing, music, games and activities for the family.

B. Gale Wilson School’s Dual Immersion Program is a program for kindergartners through eighth-graders that teaches Spanish/English biliteracy and culture to produce young adults who are highly capable in two languages, according to the announcement.

Source: Dual-language event returns to B. Gale Wilson School

School sets Spanish-English program info meets for parents  – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

The Spanish-English Dual Immersion Program at B. Gale Wilson School will host a series of parent informational sessions this week.

Sessions for families interested in enrolling incoming kindergartners for the 2016-17 school year include:

  • 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in English; 7 to 8 p.m. in Spanish.
  • 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday in English; 7 to 8 p.m. in Spanish.
  • 9 to 10 a.m. Friday in English; 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Spanish.

via School sets Spanish-English program info meets for parents .

Travis’ loss likely will be Vacaville’s gain in Spanish immersion program – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Travis Unified’s loss of a formal Spanish Immersion program increasingly likely appears to be Vacaville Unified’s gain.

In the wake of Travis trustees’ March 10 decision to discontinue the district’s SI program, some Cambridge Elementary parents have already expressed interest in enrolling their students in Markham Elementary’s Spanish-English Immersion Cultural Education (SPICE) classes and will seek interdistrict transfers.

Principal Manolo Garcia on Friday confirmed that 21 Travis parents, most of them from Cambridge Elementary, had attended a recent informational meeting at the Markham Avenue campus.

Some were interested in enrolling their kindergartners in SPICE, others had older students who could no longer look forward to continuing their dual-language instruction at Cambridge (the site of Travis’ SI program), noted Garcia, who is a bilingual speaker.

via Travis’ loss likely will be Vacaville’s gain in Spanish immersion program.

Travis school board leaders vote to end Spanish Immersion – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

In a roll-call vote, three of five Travis Unified School District trustees on Tuesday voted to scuttle the Cambridge Elementary Spanish Immersion program, effective at the end of the 2014-15 year, a decision that sparked audible disgust and at least one shout of “Shame on you!” from a parent-supporter of the dual language program.

The decision, marinating among trustees since last summer, was the third of three options the five-member governing board considered, and, while it discontinues the program, the district will provide an unspecified after-school Spanish language and cultural program four days per week, one hour per day, if 25 or more students sign up.

After several parents spoke in favor of retaining the program, especially restarting the discontinued SI kindergarten class at the Cambridge Drive campus in Vacaville, Jim Bryan, the district’s assistant superintendent for educational services, detailed the three options. (At the same time, he noted the program’s declining enrollments over the years, from more than 120 in grades K-6 at its height several years ago to 74 students in grades 1-6 today.

via Travis school board leaders vote to end Cambridge Spanish Immersion, sparking parental outrage.

Spanish Immersion, CSEA proposals on TUSD agenda tonight – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Three options for the Cambridge Elementary Spanish Immersion Program for kindergartners and a public hearing about the “sunshining” of contract proposals from classified, or school-support, employees are on the agenda when Travis Unified leaders meet tonight in Fairfield.

District administrators last summer discontinued the Cambridge kindergarten Spanish Immersion class when only a dozen families expressed interest in enrolling their children in the program in the fall of 2014. District officials, citing declining enrollments in SI, maintained that a minimum of 24 students was needed to justify the hiring of a full-time teacher.

It is the first of the three options, that is, according to agenda documents, if enough students sign up by May 1, then the class will be formed and a teacher hired. Additionally, attendance will need to be maintained at 24 students through the first 15 days of the school year, which begins in August, or the students will be assigned to an English-only class and Option No. 2 would take effect.

via Cambridge kindergarten Spanish Immersion, CSEA wage proposals on TUSD agenda tonight.

Vallejo Times-Herald: Vallejo dual language school hosts harvest festival

By Lanz Christian Bañes

One of Vallejo’s newest schools held its first Harvest Festival on Saturday — or, as the kids might call it, el festival de la cosecha.

“We had a great turnout,” said Regina Briseño, a member of the Cave Language Academy parent-teacher association and mother of 5-year-old Ramon.

The two-year-old school was established after the Vallejo City Unified School District closed Cave Elementary School as part of its continuing restructuring of the district.

via Vallejo dual language school hosts harvest festival.

California Watch: K–12: Dual-language lessons growing in popularity

Eleanor Yang Su

At Chula Vista Learning Community Charter School, students are taught lessons every week in a combination of Spanish, English and Mandarin. The public school, which has more than 400 students on its wait list, is hoping to eventually add a fourth language, the principal says, to better prepare pupils for the global economy.

via Dual-language lessons growing in popularity.