LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM WORLD LANGUAGE IMMERSION PATHWAYS

GOALS OF IMMERSION AreasGoalsAchievements Linguistic Students communicate fluently in the target language about topics appropriate to their age level. H.S. Carnegie Units AP Courses Academic Students perform as well as their non- immersion peers in all areas of the curriculum; achieve such proficiency in the target language and in English that they are able to continue their studies in both languages. LEAP and iLEAP DRA EDUSOFT Cultural Students acquire greater knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of cultures. Attitudes toward Interculturalism Global Competency

CHARACTERISTICS OF IMMERSION Additive bilingualism Content instruction in target language at least 60% of the school day Teachers fully proficient in the language they use for instruction Strong support for the majority language in the community at large Clear and sustained separation of languages during instructional time

IMMERSION MODELS Early Immersion √ Late immersion √ Partial Immersion √ Total Immersion √ One-way immersion √ Two-way immersion √

IMMERSION FACTS Immersion is not a « program », a special course, or an add-on. It is a pathway, a different way to educate students in the same content as their non- immersion peers. “We are going to the same place, we are simply using a different route.”

IMMERSION STUDENT POPULATION Source: the Picard Center

ACADEMIC RESULTS IN IMMERSION Source: the Picard Center: Preliminary Results

ACADEMIC RESULTS IN IMMERSION Source: Picard Center: Preliminary results

World Language Immersion Pathways Elementary Immersion French SpanishChinese PrairieÉvangelineMyrtleS.J.M. A. Boucher total Middle School Immersion Paul Breaux Middle World Languages Academy FrenchSpanish total High School Advanced Language Courses Lafayette High School total 50 to 75 Current Total (French): 974 Current Total (all Languages): WHERE WE ARE NOW

WHAT THE COMMUNITY THINKS In favor of immersion in general Specifically in favor of immersion Beginning in Pre-K In a stand alone school setting In a Pre-K through 8 th grade stand alone setting Continuing in high school “I’d enroll him anyway!” (anonymous) Sources: Phone survey / Internet survey / Fall Frenzy survey

MANAGING COMPLEX CHANGE VisionSkillsIncentiveResourcesAction Plan 4500 immersion students in 6 years Pre-K through 12 th grade Research Communication Instructional Administrative Student Scores State Certification (Act 212) Leader in immersion Education Facilities Human Resources Transport’n Material and Equipment Academics 6 year plan 1 st three years: model implementation

HOW TO GET THERE Graphics by the Picard Center

HOW TO GET THERE Graphics by the Picard Center

HOW TO GET THERE Graphics by the Picard Center

HOW TO GET THERE Graphics by the Picard Center

REZONING ISSUES Rezoning Myrtle Place (phase 1- Year 1): 206 students (includes 28 Special Education students) Rezoning Lafayette Middle (phase 2 – Year 4): 400 mid. school students mainly from Boucher & SJM

BUDGET ISSUES: FACILITIES Phase One: Years 1 – 3 Opening Spanish and Chinese immersion at Plantation Rezoning Myrtle Expanding at Prairie, Evangeline, and Lafayette High

BUDGET ISSUES: FACILITIES Phase Two: Years 4 – 6 Transforming Boucher and SJM into PreK-8 sites Transforming Prairie into two sites (immersion/non immersion) PreK-5 th gr or PreK-8 th grade Transforming Evangeline and Acadian into two sites (immersion/non immersion) PreK-5 th gr or PreK-8 th grade Opening new school on the south side Opening ULL/LPSS international high school

BUDGET ISSUES: SALARIES Current immersion setting: 3 teachers for 2 sections + + = + Consolidated and larger setting: 4 teachers for 3 sections = + +

BUDGET ISSUES: SALARIES Foreign Associate Teachers (FATs) have a fixed salary between $43,000 and $45,000 Most do not contribute into TRSL for the first two years of their stay (24.5% of a salary) LPSS receives $20,000 per FAT above and beyond MFP allocation (J1 and H1 B visas) LPSS will receive the same $20,000 for any local “Escadrille Louisiane” graduate In many cases, 1 teacher = $23,000 yearly salary cost

BUDGET ISSUES: TRANSPORTATION Consolidating at Myrtle will have limited effects on transportation Moving middle school immersion to LMS site will make immersion more central than at current PBMS site Opening new sites on the south side will reduce transportation needs

PRICELESS IMPROVEMENTS Increased student opportunities Increased student exposure to the target languages Increased program efficiency Increased teacher efficacy Increased administrator efficacy Increased student achievement Increased visibility of the pathways Invaluable research Public satisfaction

TASKFORCE PARTICIPANTS Legislators School Board Members Immersion Parents ULL Picard Center LDOE French Community Hispanic Community Chinese Community Immersion Teachers Immersion Administrators Central Office Personnel

FRENCH AND BEYOND LDOE & CODOFIL Campaign – Graphics by Megan Barra