Parents urge Mount Diablo Unified to pause Bankroft dual‑immersion move, cite lack of notice and possible legal gaps

Dozens of parents, students and community members asked the Mount Diablo Unified School District Board of Education on Feb. 25 to pause a proposed relocation or elimination of the two‑way dual‑immersion Spanish program at Bankroft Elementary.

The public‑comment period was dominated by appeals from Bankroft families who said the decision was announced with little advance notice, left no time for meaningful public input and would force some families to split siblings across different schools. “We were told to call enrollment after the termination was announced and they had no idea why we were calling them,” parent Tony Rashini told the board. “This was dropped at the feet of parents … abruptly and with no true plan in place.”

Why it matters: Parents said the program is a proven, high‑demand magnet that boosts enrollment and improves outcomes for English learners. Many asked the board to pause any change until the district completes required engagement steps and shares the underlying data and procedural records.

Parents and advocates raised three recurring claims. Several speakers — including an attorney who said she reviewed mandatory procedures — argued the district did not provide required pre‑decision notice and formal opportunities for written input under state law and Proposition 58, and asked the board to pause implementation until those steps occur. Jessica Lee, a parent who filed a public records request, said district staff characterized that request as “burdensome” while parents await data the district used to justify the move.

Other speakers focused on the program’s educational track record and family logistics. Tom Turkl, a Bankroft TWI parent, said the district’s data conflated TWI and non‑TWI programs and that Bankroft’s TWI English learners outperform comparable groups. “Don’t close, replicate,” Turkl told trustees, urging expansion rather than removal.

Several parents described the practical challenges of the timing: kindergarten enrollment timelines, lack of a named teacher at the destination school, and the difficulty for working parents of transporting siblings to different campuses. “Splitting siblings between different schools so they can both access the same program is not a realistic or humane solution for working families,” said Danell Lucero, a Bankroft parent.

District process and response: Trustees and district staff acknowledged community concern. Board members and Dr. Clark said staff had met with parents and held a listening session Feb. 23, and the board formally “noted” parents’ request for a special meeting before the end of the kindergarten enrollment window. At the Feb. 25 meeting parents again asked the board to schedule that session so families can present evidence and receive a clear timeline for any implementation.

On legal and procedural points: commenters cited the California Education Code and Proposition 58 (parental rights to dual language programs), arguing the district must document outreach and written comment opportunities before finalizing program changes. The transcript records parents asking that the district pause changes until required steps are shown in writing.

What the board did: The meeting record shows trustees heard public comment but did not take a formal vote to pause the program on Feb. 25. The parents’ request for a special meeting was formally noted at the end of the meeting.

Next steps: Parents said they will continue to press the board for a pause and for full disclosure of the data and procedural steps the district used. Board members encouraged continued engagement; several said they would review the community requests and the district’s next communications.

— Reporting from the Mount Diablo Unified School District board meeting on Feb. 25, 2026.