What happens to immersion programs with new regional programs?

[Anonymous]

My child is in an elementary language immersion program in a school that is not in our region in any of the proposed models. Further, the middle school they feed into is also not in our region.

Has anyone seen any information on what is going to happen to kids who are supposed to be going into middle school the year the regional model is implemented?

Won't be applicable to me, but what about the younger elementary immersion kids? Do they get to stay in their ES?

[Anonymous]

I don’t think they’ve thought about this yet, honestly, but I get your anxiety.

[Anonymous]

Your kid will definitely be able to finish out the ES program.

They haven't looked at MS yet so not clear how that will play out - but theoretically if they won't let you continue to the MS it feeds to, that would be because there is a MS in your region that offers immersion.

[Anonymous]

It's possible middle school immersion programs will go away entirely in 2027 unless the state requirement of 60 minutes a day of math in middle school gets overturned, because MCPS may have to cut back to only one elective period per year for middle schoolers and there may not be enough demand/interest in middle school foreign language/immersion anymore to run the programs (or offer foreign language in middle school at all) if it means kids can't take band or any other elective for all of middle school as a result. (If that concerns you, tell MSDE to change the rules and tell MCPS to ask them to.)

But this is all very TBD.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think immersion programs have a good shot at surviving. Especially the two-way immersion programs, which have pretty mixed-to-poor academic results.

[Anonymous]

Definitely possible
https://wjla.com/news/local/prince-georges-county-language-immersion-chinese-program-spanish-instruction-schools-education-policy-budget-shortfall-petition-board-title1-foreign-parents-community-maryland

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's possible middle school immersion programs will go away entirely in 2027 unless the state requirement of 60 minutes a day of math in middle school gets overturned, because MCPS may have to cut back to only one elective period per year for middle schoolers and there may not be enough demand/interest in middle school foreign language/immersion anymore to run the programs (or offer foreign language in middle school at all) if it means kids can't take band or any other elective for all of middle school as a result. (If that concerns you, tell MSDE to change the rules and tell MCPS to ask them to.)

But this is all very TBD.

I don’t think all the immersion middle schools have block scheduling? I know SSIMS does, but for example does Westland?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think immersion programs have a good shot at surviving. Especially the two-way immersion programs, which have pretty mixed-to-poor academic results.

I think (hope?) the OWI programs will survive one way or another. These are very old programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's possible middle school immersion programs will go away entirely in 2027 unless the state requirement of 60 minutes a day of math in middle school gets overturned, because MCPS may have to cut back to only one elective period per year for middle schoolers and there may not be enough demand/interest in middle school foreign language/immersion anymore to run the programs (or offer foreign language in middle school at all) if it means kids can't take band or any other elective for all of middle school as a result. (If that concerns you, tell MSDE to change the rules and tell MCPS to ask them to.)

But this is all very TBD.

I don’t think all the immersion middle schools have block scheduling? I know SSIMS does, but for example does Westland?

It's not just that block scheduling would go away, it's that middle schools may have to go down to 6 60-minute periods (or other schedules that only allow a single elective period, like a 7 period day with double math), leaving only one period per year for kids to pick between foreign language OR band/orchestra OR any other elective. In that scenario, are enough kids going to pick foreign language that middle schools will even keep offering foreign language courses?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's possible middle school immersion programs will go away entirely in 2027 unless the state requirement of 60 minutes a day of math in middle school gets overturned, because MCPS may have to cut back to only one elective period per year for middle schoolers and there may not be enough demand/interest in middle school foreign language/immersion anymore to run the programs (or offer foreign language in middle school at all) if it means kids can't take band or any other elective for all of middle school as a result. (If that concerns you, tell MSDE to change the rules and tell MCPS to ask them to.)

But this is all very TBD.

I don’t think all the immersion middle schools have block scheduling? I know SSIMS does, but for example does Westland?

The requirement is 300 mins a week so it could still work with block scheduling. -DP

[Anonymous]

I agree that it's a real possibility they will eliminate these programs. The Office of Shared Accountability put out a report early last year about the Two Way Immersion programs and some negative outcomes in them. I think they are setting the stage to eliminate them. I hope they don't and instead figure out how to properly support these programs (the report noted a ton of problems with the implementation), but they cost money to support. And if they are trying to make opportunities the same across the county (an equality model, not an equity model) these programs are not evenly distributed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is in an elementary language immersion program in a school that is not in our region in any of the proposed models. Further, the middle school they feed into is also not in our region.

Has anyone seen any information on what is going to happen to kids who are supposed to be going into middle school the year the regional model is implemented?

Won't be applicable to me, but what about the younger elementary immersion kids? Do they get to stay in their ES?

Is there a different MS immersion program in your region? If so they will probably send you to that one instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is in an elementary language immersion program in a school that is not in our region in any of the proposed models. Further, the middle school they feed into is also not in our region.

Has anyone seen any information on what is going to happen to kids who are supposed to be going into middle school the year the regional model is implemented?

Won't be applicable to me, but what about the younger elementary immersion kids? Do they get to stay in their ES?

I’m sorry but why you would you even put your kid in this situation? Lemme guess you’re a white family bussing your kid away from your majority Hispanic home ES to learn Spanish somewhere else in the county on MY dime?!?

There are no immersion HS in MCPS so if you are trying it in ES you must think you’re gaining the system somehow. Dot he research and stop complaining here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that it's a real possibility they will eliminate these programs. The Office of Shared Accountability put out a report early last year about the Two Way Immersion programs and some negative outcomes in them. I think they are setting the stage to eliminate them. I hope they don't and instead figure out how to properly support these programs (the report noted a ton of problems with the implementation), but they cost money to support. And if they are trying to make opportunities the same across the county (an equality model, not an equity model) these programs are not evenly distributed.

They absolutely should eliminate these programs. MCPS can’t even teach kids how to read in any language! There is NO MONEY for these fluff programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think immersion programs have a good shot at surviving. Especially the two-way immersion programs, which have pretty mixed-to-poor academic results.

I think (hope?) the OWI programs will survive one way or another. These are very old programs.

Very old is code for classist and racist FYI