Central Unified Board commits to exploring Dual Language programs in Spanish and Punjabi

According to the resolution, of the astir 16,000 students, 19.2% students talk Spanish astatine location and 6.5% talk Punjabi.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Central Unified students whitethorn soon person the accidental to enactment toward becoming biliterate and bilingual.

In January, the Board of Trustees affirmed its committedness to processing a Dual Language Bilingual Education programme successful Spanish and Punjabi.

Superintendent Mark Marshall, Ed.D., says the territory intentionally chose those languages.

"We're a precise divers district. We're precise arrogant of that, truthful we privation to marque definite that we person offerings that enactment that," Marshall said.

According to the resolution, of the astir 16,000 students successful the district, 19.2% students talk Spanish astatine location and 6.5% talk Punjabi.

Marshall says this is the archetypal step, and the territory volition beryllium moving to larn from different districts that person rolled retired akin programs.

"Going done the state, look astatine what's available, look astatine radical that person a dual immersion programme successful Punjabi, spot what they did. What are the staffing patterns? What are the costs?" Marshall said.

Marshall says he's seen the interaction dual immersion tin person connected students successful erstwhile districts wherever he's worked.

"For kids to beryllium biliterate, you know, person multicultural competence, that's a spot successful today's society," Marshall said.

While this is lone the archetypal step, Marshall says he's hopeful it volition acceptable students up for success.

"We privation our kids to beryllium capable to vie globally. It's a antithetic nine now. We privation to marque definite that our students person what they request to instrumentality that adjacent step," Marshall said.

Marshall says the territory hopes to person a elaborate timeline of the program's rollout by this fall.

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