Delaware immersion program to expand next year

World Language Immersion Program Expands for 2015-16 School Year

Date Posted: Wednesday, January 7th, 2015
Categories:  Department of Education News Office of Governor Markell

Next fall, more than 2,300 kindergarten through third grade students will be enrolled in Governor Jack Markell’s World Language Expansion Initiative, as six more schools across the state begin offering students the opportunity to participate in an elementary immersion program studying either Mandarin Chinese or Spanish.

The initiative launched in the 2012-13 school year with four programs in three elementary schools. An annual investment of $1.9 million will support programs reaching nearly 10,000 students in K-8 immersion programs by 2022.

“We know that the most natural language learning and the most effective language instruction happens when students start the process as early as possible. By continuing to expand language learning in Delaware, we have the chance to provide our kids an edge in a multilingual and multicultural workforce and meet our need to build a talent base in Delaware that will compete, lead and win on a global stage,” said Markell, who announced the expansion this afternoon at an event celebrating a new partnership with Wanxiang that will give Delaware high school students the chance to study abroad in China.

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