News-Press Editorial: Plan speaks the right language

Having found success with its nascent language-immersion programs at elementary school campuses, Glendale Unified School District has now established a solid set of pathways that will allow the youngsters flourishing in a second language to take it with them throughout their middle and high school careers.

For those unfamiliar with dual-immersion, students enrolled in these elementary school programs spend half the day speaking and learning in a language that is not native to them. Under the plan announced this week, once they get to high school these students will be taking an advanced language as an elective and the may also be allowed to take a science or social studies class in the foreign language they’re studying.

Since Glendale Unified first embarked on offering dual-immersion programs, they have become wildly popular with parents, several of whom live outside the city and are happy to bring their children to Glendale to take advantage of these courses. The enrollment of out-of-district students not only brings extra dollars into the GUSD, it also spreads the word into neighboring communities that this is a public school district to be admired for its forward-thinking programs.

Studies have shown that well-implemented dual-immersion programs lead to academic achievement that’s higher among the students taking advantage of them. So, as long as we have the facilities to support the out-of-district students, this expansion of dual-immersion course work is all to the good.