Charter Network Drops English Immersion, Doubles Down On Bilingual Education

Acero students
Acero's Zizumbo elementary first-graders are in their second year of the dual language model the network is trying to implement. Adriana Cardona Maguigad/WBEZ
Acero students
Acero's Zizumbo elementary first-graders are in their second year of the dual language model the network is trying to implement. Adriana Cardona Maguigad/WBEZ

Charter Network Drops English Immersion, Doubles Down On Bilingual Education

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In Chicago Public Schools, Latinos make up the largest student group, according to the school district. That trend has led to a growing shift in priorities for some schools aiming to better adapt to the growing demographics, including a network of charter schools once known for its hard-line English-only immersion model.

Acero Schools, formerly known as the UNO Charter School Network, has altered its practices for the last two years and adopted a polar opposite approach to teaching Latino students: dual language education.

Morning Shift sits down with WBEZ education reporter Adriana Cardona-Maguigad and Latino Policy Forum’s Rebecca Vonderlack-Navarro for more on the growth of dual language education, and how some schools plan to sidestep potential challenges.

GUESTS: Adriana Cardona-Maguigad, WBEZ Education reporter

Rebecca Vonderlack-Navarro, manager of education policy and research at Latino Policy Forum

LEARN MORE:

Once Known For English Immersion, Charter Network Remakes Itself (WBEZ, 7/11/18)