Mandarin Immersion Parents Council

Information for parents of kids in Mandarin immersion education

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Author: Elizabeth Weise

  • Help the new Mandarin Consortium with a survey about Mandarin immersion schools – make sure yours is included

    There’s a new, gaping hole in the Mandarin immersion world and an ad hoc group of educators has come together to try to fill it. Their first effort is a survey of Mandarin immersion schools – and they’re asking parents and staff in those schools to help. Shuhan Wang has been active in Chinese language…

  • An overview of South Pasadena’s immersion programs

    SOUTH PASADENA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (SPUSD)   JANUARY 3, 2025 In the past decade, research has shown that learning a second language at a young age increases cognitive flexibility and translates into higher achievement across subject areas for students. Students who participate in dual language immersion programs demonstrate grade-level academic ability, well-developed language and literacy skills in…

  • Lafayette, Louisiana district shutters Mandarin immersion program

    The Lafayette Parish School Board voted on Wednesday to shutter the Chinese immersion program at Cpl. Michael Middlebrook Elementary School, bringing the language program to an end after 14 years. The board voted 4-3 to close the program, which will cease operation at the end of this school year. Middlebrook Elementary saw a decrease in 114 students…

  • San Jose, CA may close its Mandarin immersion program

    Cherrywood Elementary School in San Jose, California is recommended for closure in 2025-2026 due to declining enrollment. The school’s Mandarin Dual Immersion Program is a concern for the school district and community.  It’s not entirely clear to me this is happening, not seeing any decisions but the program is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year. If…

  • After a decade of trying, Massachusetts Mandarin immersion school can expand

    The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted this week to allow Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter, in Hadley Massachusetts, to expand by 100 more students. The hugely popular school has been trying to expand since 2015 to accommodate all the families who want to attend. Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter set for expansion…

  • How Schools Can Expand Dual-Language Immersion Programs

    Education Week By Ileana Najarro — February 12, 2025   Former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona championed multilingualism for all students, as well as improved programming for the nation’s English learners. One of the last major projects he oversaw in his tenure at the U.S. Department of Education was the office of English language acquisition’s dual-language immersion…

  • Building bridges with immersion in Minnesota

    Beyond the 3 Rs: Building international bridges From: The Pioneer Press February 8, 2025 Schools place priority on making global connections Editor’s Note: This continues a series about the reinvention of local public schools in the 21st century. The stories focus on how technology, globalism and government intervention have changed School District 112 and Minnetonka…