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Parents urge Mount Diablo Unified to halt move of Bancroft Spanish immersion program
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Summary
Dozens of parents and community members told the Mount Diablo Unified School District board that a plan to relocate the Bancroft two‑way Spanish-English dual immersion program to Woodside Elementary would disrupt families and ignore required processes; petitioners asked the board to pause the transition and seek independent legal review.
Dozens of parents and community members urged the Mount Diablo Unified School District board on March 11 to pause a plan to move the Bancroft Elementary two‑way Spanish‑English dual immersion program to Woodside Elementary, saying the change will disrupt families and threaten program quality.
"None of those seven things took place for the announcement by the district on January 28," said John Kelly, representing the Bancroft Dual Immersion Families Association, referring to Education Code steps he said the district should have followed. "You need independent advice on whether you have followed the law." Kelly also criticized the district's hiring of outside counsel to defend the decision.
Other speakers said district data show Bancroft's immersion classes outperform English‑only sections and that relocating the program will sever access for predominantly Latino and English‑learner families in Walnut Creek. "Relocating Bancroft's program to Woodside without consulting parents, ELAC, or the site council is not a neutral administrative transfer," said Jose Olivas, a Bancroft parent. "It is the elimination of the only Spanish immersion program in Walnut Creek."
Jessica Lee, who said she filed a Proposition 58 petition on Feb. 27 seeking a feasibility review, told the board that state rules allow districts up to 60 days to evaluate such petitions but that the district issued its determination six days later on March 4. "Compressing a 60‑day process into six days raises serious questions about whether a real feasibility review occurred," Lee said; she also said families have gathered more than 600 petition signatures.
Speakers asked the board for transparency, independent legal advice, and a plan that preserves Bancroft's program in Walnut Creek while exploring replication. Anna Maria, who asked why the district appeared to have funds for potential legal proceedings but not for teachers and students, told trustees: "This community deserves transparency. I urge the board to pause, follow the process, and demonstrate that it can be trusted before asking any more funds from the community."
Board members acknowledged the intensity of the public comments and said there is a legal and administrative process the district must follow. Trustee Lawrence said she has met with Bancroft families and expects the district to be "as accommodating and supportive" of families as it moves through that process. The board did not take immediate action on the relocation during the meeting.
The public comments collected a mix of appeals: requests for the board to use its authority to obtain independent legal counsel, arguments that Bancroft's immersion program drives enrollment and strong outcomes for English learners, and asks for a transition plan that keeps families together or maintains a class at Bancroft. Several commenters offered to work with district staff on alternatives.
The issue arose during the public comment period; no formal motion to halt or reverse the relocation was made at the March 11 meeting. The board invited commenters to remain for the rest of the meeting and said staff would follow up where appropriate.
