Cabrillo USD unveils dual-immersion master plan, parents press staffing and secondary-pathway concerns
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Summary
District presents TK–12 dual-immersion master plan (60/40 K–2, 50/50 by grade 3, pathways to Seal of Biliteracy); parents and board raised worries about teacher shortages, curricular consistency at the secondary level and phased implementation.
District staff presented a districtwide dual-language immersion master plan aimed at strengthening pathways from Hatch Elementary through Half Moon Bay High School, emphasizing vertical alignment, professional learning communities and targets for the California Seal of Biliteracy.
Israel Castillo, who led the master-plan committee, described the program’s guiding principles: academic rigor in both languages, intentional language allocation by content area, regular formative and summative assessment, and reclassification targets. Castillo proposed language-allocation guidance—TK bilingual; kindergarten through second grade roughly 60% Spanish/40% English; and a phased transition to 50/50 instruction by third grade—plus pathways in middle and high school to support the Seal of Biliteracy.
Parents at public comment broadly supported the program but flagged three persistent issues: frequent administrative turnover at Hatch, teacher shortages that have hit immersion harder than other programs, and concern that English-language development can lag. Katrina Brown (Spanish Immersion Parent Association) and Kendra Holland (CIPA chair) urged a phased rollout tied to staffing and mentorship, stronger secondary-level planning and attention to equitable access to tutoring and curriculum supports.
Board members and district staff discussed recruitment strategies (partnerships with Cal State East Bay, Chico State and credential pipelines), team-teaching models to reduce staffing pressure, and the need for clearer communications about enrollment priorities. District staff said the plan remains a living document; roll-out will be phased based on staffing, curriculum adoption, and community input.
What’s next: Staff will continue to refine the plan, pursue university partnerships and provide more detailed guidance on middle- and high-school course alignments. The board did not vote on program changes in the meeting.
