West Covina Unified Opens 2019-20 Enrollment for Spanish, Mandarin Dual Language Immersion

WEST COVINA, CA – Parents can now enroll their children in West Covina Unified’s new Mandarin Dual Language (DLI) program as well as the District’s highly popular Spanish DLI program.

West Covina Unified – a state-certified district of choice – offers DLI instruction to foster biliteracy and bilingualism, academic achievement and success in college and careers.

The Mandarin program will launch at Orangewood Elementary school in August with an inaugural kindergarten class. Spanish DLI will be available for transitional kindergarten through fourth grade at Orangewood and transitional kindergarten through fourth grade at Monte Vista Elementary School.

The Mandarin program will follow a 50:50 instruction model, employing both English and Mandarin 50 percent of the time throughout the instructional day. Spanish DLI programs follow a 90:10 model, with Spanish-language instruction decreasing annually until achieving a 50:50 balance by the time students reach fifth or sixth grade.

Orangewood students will be able to incorporate DLI instruction into the school’s rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) program and may continue in both programs as they advance through the District.

Orangewood’s IB program challenges students through an inquiry-led, transdisciplinary framework that explores local and global issues in real-life contexts.

Students from throughout the San Gabriel Valley are eligible to apply for the DLI programs and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To begin the enrollment process, visit West Covina Unified’s enrollment page.