Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Charters Mandarin Immersion topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears petition for Tustin International Charter School; trustees ask for enrollment, financial and oversight details
Summary
Petitioners seeking to open a Mandarin-English immersion elementary charter in Tustin presented curriculum, enrollment and budgeting plans; trustees asked for clearer evidence of community demand, a finalized charter authorizer/partner support letter and firm financing commitments before the board acts April 2.
The Orange County Board of Education held a public hearing March 5 on a charter appeal from Tustin International Charter School, which proposes a Mandarin-English immersion program for transitional kindergarten through fifth grade.
Petition leaders described a 50/50 Mandarin-English immersion model, STEAM coursework and a plan to open initial classes from TK to fourth grade in year one with a projected enrollment around 228 students. The petitioners said they expect to operate two classes per grade (one Mandarin, one English) and to hire a native Mandarin teacher and an English teacher for each classroom pair.
Why it matters: bilingual immersion programs are in demand across Orange County, and petitioners told the board they plan to expand availability for families in Tustin and nearby cities. Trustees said they support providing parental choice but must be satisfied the petitioner has the leadership, facility and funding stability to open and sustain a school.
Petition presenters identified several potential start‑up funding partners, including Silicon Schools Fund, Charter School Growth Fund and New Schools Venture Fund; petitioners and their business manager also said they would apply for the state Public Charter Schools Grant Program if the charter is approved. The presenters said those philanthropic commitments are contingent on board approval and, in some cases, on formal proof of a site and enrollment commitments.
Trustees pressed petition leaders on leadership and governance history: some trustees asked about earlier petitions and community complaints reported to trustees about management practices at a prior site where petition leaders previously worked. Petition leaders disputed the characterization and said they have worked to address past concerns; they also described ongoing technical assistance from charter support groups but said formal membership in the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) cannot occur until a charter is approved.
Trustees asked for additional documentation before a decision: a larger, documented enrollment interest list (especially for students residing in Tustin Unified), clearer commitments from the identified funders and a facility plan, including whether the petition’s Prop. 39 request to Tustin Unified School District will be satisfied and which school site would be used if Prop. 39 space is assigned.
Public comment included a mix of parent testimonials in support; one parent described severe wait lists in nearby Mandarin immersion schools. Tustin Unified did not appear at the hearing.
What’s next: Board staff will publish their recommendations by March 15. The board will hold a second public hearing and is scheduled to vote on the petition at its April 2 meeting.
Ending: Petitioners are invited to return with additional documentation on enrollment commitments, firm facility plans and finalized funding agreements ahead of the April 2 action.
