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Families urge Mount Diablo Unified to retain at least one Spanish immersion kindergarten at Bancroft
Summary
Dozens of Bancroft families told the Mount Diablo Unified board they want the district to preserve at least one Spanish dual-immersion kindergarten class, citing sibling continuity, neighborhood investment and demonstrated demand of at least 35 incoming kindergartners.
Parents and community members asked the Mount Diablo Unified School District board on June 10 to preserve a Spanish dual-immersion kindergarten at Bancroft Elementary as the district expands a new program at Woodside.
Supporters said the change announced three weeks before kindergarten registration forced families into last-minute, costly decisions and risks disrupting siblings and neighborhood stability. "We rented that house exactly for this program," said parent Nick Sobranes, who said his family moved to be inside Bancroft's boundary and expects his younger child to attend the immersion program. "All we're asking for is that same time and opportunity so we can make the right decision for our family."
Several parents said they had compiled enrollment lists demonstrating demand. "We have shared a list of 35 incoming kindergarten students who have requested placement in the dual immersion program," said Elizabeth Silva, who asked trustees to consider keeping at least one class so siblings and boundary families could maintain continuity. Elizabeth Cluek Olivas urged a phased approach: reduce Bancroft to one class in the first year and then build back gradually, a plan she called a fair compromise that would also help relieve overcrowding.
Speakers framed the issue as complementary rather than competitive with the Woodside program. "We believe these goals are complementary, not competing," Silva said, adding that families support expanding access across the district if continuity is preserved for those already invested in Bancroft.
Trustees did not take an immediate vote on the program at the June 10 meeting. Several callers asked that any formal decision take into account sibling placements and neighborhood demand; one parent said they would like to see the item brought forward for board consideration or a vote in the near term if retention is contemplated.
The district has acknowledged interest in shifting dual-immersion seats to support access elsewhere in the system; families urged trustees and the superintendent to weigh the neighborhood and continuity impacts before approving any final change.
