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Walnut Creek parents urge pause after Mount Diablo USD moves Bancroft kindergarten dual-immersion program
Summary
Parents and residents told the Walnut Creek City Council that Mount Diablo Unified School District’s immediate move of Bancroft Elementary’s kindergarten dual-immersion program to Woodside creates enrollment uncertainty and sibling separation; they asked the council to request a pause and better family engagement under the California Education Code.
Parents and residents packed the public-comment portion of the Walnut Creek City Council’s Feb. 3 meeting to urge the city to press Mount Diablo Unified School District to halt an immediate relocation of Bancroft Elementary’s kindergarten dual-immersion program.
Elizabeth Silva, a Bancroft parent, told the council that MDUSD announced Jan. 28 it would “immediately phase out the dual immersion program at Bancroft Elementary and move the program to Woodside Elementary,” leaving families “facing enrollment uncertainty” and “sibling separation.” Silva said state law requires the district to engage families and educators when making major program changes, “according to the education code,” and she asked the council to urge the district to pause implementation and open a transparent process for affected families.
Other parents recounted the program’s importance and the practical impacts of the timing. Jessica Lee, a Walnut Creek resident and public-health service officer with children in the program, said the district’s six-month notice overlooks working families’ realities: “Families stretch spend financially, juggling rising costs while prioritizing our children's stability. This abrupt change inflicts undue stress, disrupts education, and erodes the trust we've built.” Lucy Leishu described the logistical impossibility of splitting siblings across schools. Local education reporter and parent Jessica Keltman said she fears the move may be used to shift more-affluent students between sites in ways that affect school metrics and equity.
Speakers asked the council to advocate that MDUSD extend the timeline, provide data and rationale for the relocation, and convene meaningful family engagement consistent with the district’s obligations under the California Education Code. Council members did not take a formal action or vote on an advocacy motion during the meeting; the remarks were recorded as public comment. The council meeting continued with other agenda items and adjourned to its next regular meeting on Feb. 17.
The council did not receive a response from district officials during the meeting. Parents on the record asked for clear next steps from MDUSD, data used to justify the relocation, and direct engagement with families before final decisions are implemented.
