Parents, teachers and students press ISD 196 to create a Spanish immersion pathway

Parents, students and district educators used the school board’s special‑communications period on Oct. 7 to urge ISD 196 officials to develop an elementary Spanish immersion program that would follow children from existing Spanish immersion daycares into the district’s schools.

Claire Opsahl, a resident and ISD 196 teacher, told the board that a petition supporting a district immersion pathway had gathered 305 signatures in a month and described 400 children enrolled in four Spanish immersion daycares inside district boundaries who currently have no in‑district continuation option. ‘‘There is nowhere in our district for my sons to go to continue their Spanish immersion education,’’ she said.

Why it matters: speakers argued that building an in‑district immersion option would keep families from leaving the district and provide equitable bilingual opportunities. Drew Ingvalson, a parent who helped organize the petition, cited district data indicating roughly 2,000 students live in Spanish‑speaking households (about 7.2% of enrollment) and noted that Spanish is the most common immersion language statewide.

Supporters and evidence: Apple Valley High senior Gabriel Lundgren described his experience in a Chinese immersion program and said local immersion would reduce long commutes for families currently traveling to Minneapolis or other districts. Jay Cody, a language teacher in ISD 196, urged the board to consider a dual‑immersion model (roughly half instruction in Spanish, half in English) and noted research showing dual immersion benefits content learning and language proficiency for both native Spanish speakers and learners.

District response and next steps: Superintendent Bolsoni previously told speakers that the district is tracking community interest and that school leaders will continue discussions with parents and staff. Board materials and the district presented deadlines and processes related to boundary changes and interdistrict transfers; Jeremy Sorensen said families may apply through the district’s interdistrict transfer process (first‑deadline marker Dec. 15, applications accepted after that but placed on a waiting list) and outlined four upcoming family information sessions in October. Sorensen said the district will bring final attendance‑area recommendations to the board in mid‑November.

What was not decided: No administrative decision to create an immersion program was made at the meeting. Speakers requested that the board clarify what level of community support would be required to prompt a formal program proposal and asked district staff to share feasibility and resource information in future discussions.

Attribution: Quotes and paraphrases above are taken from public comments recorded at the Oct. 7 ISD 196 school board meeting; attributions map to participants who identified themselves at the podium.