Charter-school designation sought for bilingual program

The principal of Sparkman school hopes the change will save it from Prop. 227.

TEMECULA—The principal of Joan F. Sparkman Elementary School, fearful that Prop. 227 might shut down the school’s unique bilingual education program, will ask the Temecula Valley school board Tuesday to consider turning the program into a charter school.

Under the plan advanced by Principal Frank Ohnesorgen, the bilingual program would remain at Sparkman and be set up as a school within a school.

Sparkman’s two-way immersion program, which started last fall, involves putting English-speaking and Spanish-speaking students in the same class with the goal of making both groups bilingual by the end of elementary school.

During the first few years, students are taught mostly in Spanish to offset the influence of English in mainstream culture.

Prop. 227, passed by state voters June 2, calls for ending bilingual programs and quickly immersing students in English.

Forty students, all in kindergarten, are enrolled in Sparkman’s program, which is voluntary.

School board member Ed Elder is so taken with the program that he would like to see one started at every Temecula elementary school.

“We’re going to work on getting a state waiver and doing whatever we can to protect it,” he said. “If we need to do the charter route, that would be fine, too. “

Ohnesorgen said Friday he has heard differing opinions as to whether the program would be eligible for a waiver that would allow it to continue under Prop. 227. He said he personally believes the program is in jeopardy.

This is not the first time Ohnesorgen has pushed for a charter school. He said he had proposed a charter school approach from the beginning but that former Superintendent Pat Novotney was against the plan.

Charter schools are publicly funded, but are free from many of the regulations governing traditional public schools. Temecula already has one charter school, the Temecula Learning Center.



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