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Published on 05/11/1998 All articles from this issue

CUSD approves Mandarin class

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

Members of the Cupertino Union School District Board of Trustees added Mandarin Chinese to the district's curriculum in a 4-1 vote during the regular meeting May 12.

The board agreed to launch a pilot Mandarin enrichment program for one kindergarten class this fall as part of the district's alternative education program.

Students enrolled in the voluntary program will learn primarily in English, but will be exposed to Mandarin through art, singing and other types of activities, said board member Roberta Pabst.

Some parents were concerned that the board's decision was premature considering that the Unz Initiative, if approved during the June 2 election, could disrupt the language program. Board members said they could tailor the program to fit new policy changes if necessary.

"We have a huge segment of the population saying that acquisition of a language beyond English is important," Pabst said. "This is a way to that on a voluntary basis."

If the pilot class is successful, board members said the program could evolve into the two-way dual immersion program that parents initially proposed. Unlike bilingual or enrichment classes, both English and non-English speaking students enrolled in the dual immersion program would learn to be proficient in English and Mandarin.

"I'm very pleased with the decision," said parent Lynette Eng, who has pushed for a Mandarin program for the past 18 months, saying such a program would provide skills essential in a global market. "I think the district is sending a clear message that education and children are in the forefront of their decision making."

Eng said about 83 parents have expressed interest in enrolling their children in the pilot program.

If the number of children exceeds the number of allotted spaces in the kindergarten program, then the district may have to use a lottery system to determine who will be enrolled in the class, Pabst said.

The district is still looking for a site at one its schools and for outside funding to support the program, Pabst said.

The district supports approximately 60 languages. About 16 percent of the students speak Mandarin, a district spokeswoman said.