The Santa Clara County Board of Education has refused to allow a proposed Mandarin Immersion charter school to open in West San Jose.

In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the normally charter-friendly board ruled that Wei Yu International Charter School presented an unsound educational plan, was unlikely to succeed and did not provide a comprehensive description of its plan.

The school backers had been turned down previously by the Moreland School District in San Jose and appealed to the county school board. They now have the option of appealing to the State Board of Education.

The county office of education found that school backers did not adequately explain their education program, how they would measure pupil progress and ensure a qualified staff.

The petitioners, led by Jun Dong, cited an overwhelming demand for Mandarin immersion in Silicon Valley and said the school aimed to serve students of varied demographics with little or no proficiency in Mandarin.