Garland Independent School District, a fast-growing suburb northeast of Dallas, has undergone a dramatic demographic shift. Like districts across Texas, Garland schools are blacker, browner, and more racially diverse than a generation ago. The multicultural panorama in Garland schools is reflected in its academic offerings. Still, in a school district with a Hispanic majority, and a state where more than a third of residents are Spanish speakers, Garland chose Mandarin Chinese as the focus of its newly launched language-immersion program at Weaver Elementary School. Increasing Garland students’ marketability in a global economy was the rationale. “It’s preparing students for the future and hopefully, lots of possibilities as they get older,” the school’s principal, Jennifer Miley, told the Dallas Morning News.
From The Atlantic: The Economic Imperative of Bilingual Education
071210-N-4399G-169 YOKOSUKA, Japan (Dec. 10, 2007) Students from Ikego Elementary School's Spanish-immersion first and second grade classes visit the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and 7th Fleet Sailors to sing Spanish-influenced Christmas Carols on the mess decks. Blue Ridge is the flagship for Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. Task Force 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating detachment is Sasebo, Japan. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Charles T. Green (Released)