Glendora parents press board to save dual language pilot; trustees direct staff to seek ways to enroll kindergarten class

Dozens of parents and community members told the Glendora Unified School District Board of Education on May 11 that the district should restore or preserve its Dual Language Immersion (DLI) pilot and give the program a full recruitment cycle before cancelling the incoming kindergarten cohort.

At the meeting, Tamana Atcha said the petition to save the program had grown to 549 signatures and asked the board to "reinstate the program for the upcoming school year, conduct a proper community needs assessment, establish a bilingual family advisory committee and develop a plan to sustain and grow the program." Several speakers said they or family members moved to Glendora specifically for bilingual programming.

Parents and teachers gave several concrete criticisms of the district's handling of recruitment. Martin Sandoval told trustees that the program had been canceled on March 24, two days before an open house at Sutherland Elementary, and that recruitment had stopped a month earlier than the prior year. "If the goal was truly to save the program, then why were these vital outreach opportunities suppressed?" he asked.

Other speakers described missed targeted outreach to Spanish‑speaking families and recommended community‑centered strategies such as bilingual parent ambassadors, partnerships with Spanish‑language story times and cultural events, and year‑round relationship building. "Successful programs do not rely on flyers or one meeting," said Katie Nerio, urging culturally responsive recruitment.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and discussed scheduling a staff presentation in June to review data and options. After public comment the board voted 4–0 to "direct staff to find an alternative way to enroll a kindergarten class for the 2026–2027 school year," with staff to return recommendations at a future meeting.

The district has cited a lack of native Spanish speakers as a primary reason for pausing the pilot; community members told the board that earlier and more targeted recruitment would produce stronger enrollment. Speakers said the cancellation had created anxiety for families whose children were already in the program or had planned to enroll.

The move to direct staff does not immediately reinstate the canceled class. The board’s action requires staff to develop and present concrete enrollment options and outreach plans for trustee consideration. The DLI item is expected to be part of a June presentation and brought back to the board for further action.

Public comment and the board vote were the meeting’s most contested items. The board also heard routine reports and other agenda business before adjourning the meeting.