Thursday, 4:30 PM
First Chinese immersion school awarded state charter
By Globe Staff
The final step in forming the state's first Chinese language immersion school was completed today when Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll awarded a charter for a new institution serving Central and Western Massachusetts.
At the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, children in kindergarten through eighth grade will learn the bulk of their lessons in Mandarin Chinese, including math, science, and history. The goal is to create an environment for children who parents and educators say need to master Chinese to succeed in the future workplace.
"This was a very exciting proposal for an extremely unique school," Driscoll said today in a statement. "Charter schools have had great success in Massachusetts, and I look forward to seeing the growth and future accomplishments of this school in the Pioneer Valley."
The school is expected to serve a mix of students, including some adopted from China and others with no direct connection to the country, whose parents may be interested because they travel to China for work.
Out 10 applications submitted for new charter schools this year, the Chinese immersion school was the only proposal approved by the state Board of Education. In Massachusetts, there are currently 51 charter schools, which are public schools that are given the freedom to organize their activities around a core mission, curriculum, or teaching method.
