The dual language immersion divides Calistoga teachers and parents as the district program weighs

Under the old law, parents had to sign waivers to enroll their children in bilingual programs. Since its reversal, the number of schools offering dual immersion in the state has steadily increased.

“Data shows that dual language immersion programs tend to be very good for children,” says Gándara.

“Children become bilingual, which allows them to go to college and get better jobs. Children are also less segregated in schools.”

There is no evidence to show that bilingual programs result in lower test scores, she added. While it is true that students in these programs do not initially score as high in English as those who learn only one language, the trend reverses around fifth grade, when they begin to surpass others, she said.

Why are teachers against it?

In his statement at last week’s board meeting, Gudenius said the teachers union conducted a survey to see how its members felt about a dual immersion program in Calistoga.

The majority of union members responded to the survey, he said, and none were in favor. Nearly 80% were against it and the rest were still undecided.

Some believe in the benefits of double immersion in general, but don’t believe it is a good fit for Calistoga at this time, he explained.

In an email to The Press Democrat, he said: “Over the past two decades, we have systematically implemented changes and improvements that have begun to yield positive outcomes and successes for our students, and we do not want to lose the programs, systems and supports from which they benefit enormously.”

In the 2023-2024 academic year, the school district made big profits in standardized test scores, both in English language and mathematics. While scores are still below the state average, the district has outperformed Napa Valley Unified and is slowly climbing back to pre-pandemic proficiency levels.

A drastic change, he said, could negatively impact the “things we already do so well” for students.

The potential downsides, he said, include lower test scores, difficulty finding sufficient instructional materials in Spanish, staffing issues, issues of equity and division within the school and the sustainability of the program.

“If we’re going to do this, we need to approach it with caution and care, and have enough time to figure out if it’s even feasible before we start, especially at a small community school like ours, and especially if we have already tried it. this has happened in the past and it didn’t work out,” Gudenius said.

How do parents feel?

The move to explore a potential dual language immersion program at Calistoga schools has been fueled by parents who strongly believe it will benefit their children and the community.

Last winter, nearly 100 community members — most of whom were parents — signed a petition asking the district to look into it.

At last week’s board meeting, 10 parents voiced their opinions on the topic during public comment, with most supporting the program. Two parents asked the district to investigate why double-dipping was previously halted in the Calistoga and St. Helena school districts before moving forward.

Advocates in public comments have repeatedly cited that it will strengthen Calistoga’s bicultural, bilingual community and equip children with skills for an increasingly interconnected world.

Claire Weinkauf has two children in the school district. She is originally French, speaks five languages ​​and says she sees first-hand the benefits of multilingualism.

“My children went to kindergarten in Spanish,” she said, “but now school is in English and they are slowly losing their Spanish. It’s a bummer.”

In a community like Calistoga, she added, it would benefit everyone if children could speak both languages. “If you speak the same language, you can connect with people. It is an equalizer,” she said.

For Irene Peña, who also has two children in the school district, it is important that her children continue to appreciate the language of their parents and grandparents.

A graduate of the Calistoga school district herself, she said a version of double immersion existed when she was a student and had just moved to the country.

“I spent my first day of school crying in the bathroom,” she said, “but when I heard my white Spanish teacher talk to me, it was amazing.

“It felt like even though I was surrounded by people who didn’t look like me, there were people who spoke my language.”

Both Weinkauf and Peña were part of a group of parents who visited schools offering dual immersion programs in other provinces, along with district representatives as part of the exploration process.

“We asked the parents to look into this,” Peña said, “and for the first time they listened to us and I felt valued.”

“But when we went to the meeting, it was shocking to see every teacher wearing red. I felt intimidated. I felt like my voice wouldn’t be heard by them,” she added. “We are at such an early stage and it is sad that the teachers do not want to explore this with the parents. They say no before we even take one step forward.”

You can reach Tarini Mehta at 707-521-5337 or [email protected]. On X (Twitter) @MehtaTarini.