The Wait Is Over: CCUSD to extend dual language immersion program through 8th grade (for Spanish)

Jenny Manriquez

At the urging of school board members, El Marino Language School Principal Tracy Pumilia, with the help of Flap Grant Coordinator Mina Shiratori, presented proposed changes for the Spanish language immersion program at the middle school at the May 2nd school board meeting.  The presentation focused on the Spanish program, but inquiries were made at the meeting about the 20-year old Japanese language Immersion program. 

CCMS is transitioning into a 3-year Dual Language Immersion Program (DL).  The main difference between language immersion and dual language immersion is that to be called a DL program a district must meet certain criteria such as the amount of time spent in the target language. DL programs often refer to Kathryn Lindholm-Leary’s Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education when designing their programs.

But why the need to have students enrolled in two courses? To reach higher levels of proficiency.  Culver City is going for it.  Administrators, teachers and parents are beginning to see the value in continuing language acquisition beyond 5^th grade.  We are transforming from a Maintenance Elective (1 class) to a Dual Language Program (2 classes), with the goal of moving from intermediate low proficiency levels to intermediate High/Pre-Advanced at the end of 8^th grade.

This means that students will spend 50% of their day in the target language, in this case Spanish, and 50% in English (Science, English Language Arts, Math and P.E. and any additional electives a student chooses to take).

The presentation announced the following changes to the program that will affect next year's incoming 6th graders are:

§  Adding an additional dual language immersion course: Social Science (core subject)

§  Students must take both the core subject and the elective Spanish Language Arts.  They cannot take just one course. 

§  Students/Families must commit to taking the two courses for 6th, 7th and 8th grade.  If a student decides to drop out in 7th grade, they will not be able to return to the program in 8th grade.  Instead, they can take the foreign language courses currently offered at the middle school - Spanish 1A and 1B.

§  If a student would like to take another elective (Spanish Language Arts is considered their elective of choice, they will need to enroll in “0” period P.E starting at 7:15am.

Heritage and Native speakers would be allowed to enter into the DL Program if they meet the minimum requirements for entrance after taking a language assessment. The addition of Heritage and Native speakers to the immersion class helps CCMS to achieve another important component of a dual language program:  a 50/50 class; 50% English Speakers and 50% Spanish speakers (Target Language in this case).  At CCMS we have more English only students in the Spanish DL program.

Mrs. Pumilia said she has three possible current CCUSD teachers in mind to teach the Social Studies course and is very happy with all three choices.  It hadn’t been decided (at the time of writing) whether the new teacher would teach the Spanish Language Arts elective for 7^th/8^th graders, with Sr. Hurtado teaching both the Spanish Language Arts and Social Studies courses to the incoming 6^th graders or vice versa.

At the School Board Meeting, Mrs. Pumilia touched upon a Phase III of the program that will continue DL programs at the high school level but explained the need for further collaboration, curriculum development and resources to get us there.

Emphasis was put on 2015-2016, the year that La Ballona DL students matriculate to CCMS.  The increasing number of Spanish DL students will require more staffing at the middle school level.

Parents in the audience and the school board asked about the Japanese language immersion program at CCMS.  The FLAP grant was used to develop content based elective courses in 6^th grade continuing through 11^th grade based on the Japanese program in Portland.  At the Japanese parent information night, parents agreed that their children were more engaged and challenged in the new DL format versus taking Japanese as a foreign language.  Mrs. Pumilia explained that due to the Japanese DL program’s lower enrollment it is a challenge (financially) to add an additional class. The School Board expressed concern for not being able to offer two classes to Japanese DL students like their Spanish counterparts and asked Mrs. Pumilia to provide them with an overview of what resources she would need to get CCUSD to a DL program for Japanese students as well.  Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus!

To view an abbreviated version of the powerpoint presentation, click here.

It was also recommended and championed by the school board to create a DL immersion “task force”. Parents, teachers, administrators and other stakeholders who are interested in applying to be a part of the task force can write to Michele Van Gelderen, the parent contact for the Culver City Immersion Education Group at El Marino. To join the CC Immersion Education group, click here.

Why do we need a task force?  The immersion program at CCMS is a small strand within a larger non-immersion population that must compete with limited resources.  Although we are fortunate to have a Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) grant that pays  for personnel to develop the program, those funds will end this year. (Although I’m hearing talk about the hiring of an immersion coordinator!)  A task force would be able to keep the momentum going on developing a K-12 program in CCUSD. 

Another Guiding Principal component of a successful dual language immersion program is a dedicated principal or coordinator who understand DL. Mrs. Pumilia is the principal of 782 students at El Marino Language School and Mr. Pearson leads a student body of 1500 (approximately) at Culver City Middle School.  Both are without a doubt committed to the DL program but their hands are full!  A task force could support the work of a coordinator and other staff and keep the DL programs on track and on the front burner.

The ideal situation would be to have a DL coordinator working with Mrs. Pumilia, Mrs. Collins, Mr. Pearson, Mr. Farris and the task force to:

§  Work with all the sites to develop and communicate the end goal of CCUSD’s DL program. 

§  Create a timeline for the end goal and provide bi-monthly updates to the school board and parents on where we are.

§  Investigate how to expand the programs.  If we’re limited to expanding at the secondary level due to low enrollment, maybe it’s time to consider expanding the program at the elementary school level so we net more students for the program at the secondary level.  In fact, the creation of a DL strand at La Ballona is probably the single most important reason why we’re expanding the program (that and the FLAP grant) at the secondary level.  The number of DL students is growing and there is a need to be prepared for these incoming students.

What is the tangible end goal of CCUSD’s DL program? Is it a special accreditation from Spain or Japan?  Is it a biliteracy seal on a student’s diploma?  Is it having our students enter college just shy a few credits of a minor in the language they’re studying?  What’s wonderful about the questions being asked, is that they’re being asked.  

I asked Rosa Molina, Executive Director, of Two-Way Cabe, the Two-Way Bilingual Immersion (TWBI) arm of the California Association for Bilingual Education, what is the future of DL programs.

I predict that in the very near future we will see some 80/10/10 programs develop in California such as the wonderful model that is currently in place in Ysleta School District in El Paso, Texas and their wonderful program of third language offerings for their Two Way students (Russian, German, Japanese or Mandarin).  We have been engaged in this "language war" for so long in California, defending the rights of families to keep and develop their mother tongue, that we are losing sight that the rest of the world is preparing their children to master a world language as well.  If our children are going to be competitive in today's global market, they must have a command of more than two languages.

More than two languages!  Let’s go Culver City!

There is a group of parents who are investigating another option: International Baccalaureate (IB).   A large component of IB is language learning.  The IB program is not specifically designed for DL students although it is a nice companion piece.  Tara Fortune, the Immersion project coordinator at the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) says that IB and immersion are in many ways a great fit and sites the programs: Lakes International Academy in Forest Lake, MN and International Spanish Language Academy in Minnetonka, MN.

What’s interesting about IB is that non-immersion students can enter this program via the traditional foreign language option.  The IB program can be designed in many different ways (emphasis on the Arts, Science) and at all three levels (elementary, middle and high school) but what’s appealing to many parents is that it could bring language learning to every child in CCUSD whether they are an immersion student or not.  Parents interested in IB should contact Karin Shaw.

There are many things to be excited for in CCUSD and many people to thank for their continued efforts to improve DL programs in CCUSD.  As a small district, we may have limited resources but unlike LAUSD we can choose where to put our resources that best maximize our potential.  Si se puede Culver City!

Jenny Manriquez is a Culver City Immersion Program Parent and the Co-Coordinator of the 40th anniverary Immersion Symposium.