COBB COUNTY, Ga. — For seven years, students in Cobb County have been learning in different languages as part of a program unique to the district -- and now the future of the beloved program is at risk.
Back in 2015, Cobb County parents and principals came together to create a program where students have the opportunity to be in a creative classroom that teaches half of their curriculum in another language. Since then, the Dual Language Immersion Program has expanded to 11 Cobb County elementary schools and two high schools and has become many parents' reason for moving and enrolling their children in the district.
However, over the past few weeks, there have been conversations within the Cobb County School District that put DLI in jeopardy of being phased out.
Parents and board members are rallying together to keep the program alive in schools.
Cobb County School Board member, Dr. Jaha Howard presides over the majority of schools that have implemented this program in their classrooms, and he said the removal of the program could cut back the progress that students and parents have made since its creation.
“Language is critical. It's important. And the last thing we need to do is shorten and minimize our curriculum," he said. "We want to expand our curriculum to make it more robust."
According to the DLI website, other areas the program helps students include problem-solving, standardized testing and increased cultural awareness.
Dr. Howard has seen these benefits in effect as his own children are students in the program and every day, he watches them excel in a language that many adults - even himself - struggles to retain.
Although the cuts to the program will not be made across the entire district, the program may leave many schools.
To decide, there will not be a board vote on whether or not to keep the program. Since this is an "operational issue" Superintendent Chris Ragsdale will make the final call on whether or not the program will stay.
For this reason, Dr. Howard believes that the key to saving this program is the parents.
“You know, I'll say that this program was pushed along by active parents and willing principals. And I think that that's going to be the exact recipe to help make sure we save this program in some capacity and hopefully in the future, expand this program,” he said.
He encourages parents to email and write to Ragsdale and all Cobb school board members to speak up and share their journey with the DLI program. He also said to advocate at school board meetings. The next one will take place on May 19.
Until then, Dr. Howard said in a statement that he is eager to work with the superintendent on solutions to a sensible path forward.