District to Seek Grant for School’s Bilingual Programs

In an effort to increase student success in learning English, the Fullerton School District will apply for a grant that would provide Richman Elementary School with $1.25 million over the next five years.

Richman has been targeted because it has a growing enrollment of students who are not proficient in English.

The Fullerton school board this week voted 3 to 1 to submit the grant application to the state and federal government.

Richman officials said that if they get the grant, they will use the money to improve existing bilingual programs at the school by providing teacher training and including parents in the process.

Trustee Karen Chavez, who cast the lone dissenting vote, said she believes Richman already provides those services.

“To me, it sounds like the status quo,” she said.

Her colleagues on the board disagreed.

Board President Rosamaria Gomez-Amaro said the grant would place pressure on Richman to “more rapidly” improve its programs’ success rate.

Richman Principal Minard Duncan added that even though the school already has bilingual programs, “we don’t think they’re good enough. We really want to see good results.”