Shaping a Bilingual Future With Dual Language Immersion in Kern County

In some classrooms across Kern County, students are learning reading, writing, math, science, and history, all in English and Spanish. It’s part of the educational movement known as Dual Language Immersion (DLI), where biliteracy is the goal, not just a bonus. DLI programs teach academic content in two languages, typically English and another language — most commonly Spanish in Kern County. Students don’t just learn another language — they learn in that language. In these programs, both native English speakers and native Spanish speakers learn side by side, benefiting from linguistic and cultural exchange.

“I think it’s a want and a need in the community we serve,” said Trina Lovio, director of assessment, curriculum, and technology for the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District (P-BVUSD). “We work to balance the class as best as possible. We want students proficient in both languages to be peer models alongside the teachers.”

Programs often begin in transitional kindergarten (TK) or kindergarten and continue through eighth grade, with the potential to support students through high school as they work toward the Seal of Biliteracy — a state recognition for fluency in two or more languages.

Across Kern County, school districts like Bakersfield City School District (BCSD), Lamont Elementary School District, Greenfield Union School District and P-BVUSD are hoping to expand their DLI offerings. At Harris Elementary, a school of nearly 600 students, 210 are enrolled in dual immersion. Meanwhile, the Lamont Elementary School District runs a district-wide DLI program from preschool through junior high, supported by passionate educators like fifth-grade dual immersion teacher Isabel Mireles-Olascoaga, who is a graduate of local schools and a strong advocate for bilingual education.

“We say it’s a superpower,” Mireles-Olascoaga said. “My son was in the dual immersion program. I see the benefits that it has. It teaches the students, not only while they’re with us, but as they continue on in their education.”

Panama-Buena Vista is preparing to open Mountain View, a brand-new TK-8 school in August 2025, featuring a dual language immersion strand beginning with TK and kindergarten. The program will start with one TK class and two kindergarten classes, serving roughly 75 students in its first year. The school will open in stages — initially serving TK–5 — then expanding annually until it includes all grades through 8th.

“You’re building this culture of inclusivity, and you’re bringing in the dual language program from the beginning, so the students have a chance to grow into the program,” said Erica Rojas, principal of Mountain View. 

Students learn Spanish and English concurrently in Mrs. Herrera’s TK DLI class (Greenfield Union School District).

For many families, participation in DLI programs is not just about academics — it’s about identity and opportunity. Maria Teresa Herrera, a longtime bilingual education advocate and parent, has spent years pushing for more dual immersion options in Kern County. She understands firsthand how language connects generations and opens doors.

“The future is here. You have to be bilingual,” Herrera said. “The benefits are endless.”

According to research cited by the California Department of Education (CDE) and the U.S. Department of Education, DLI programs offer significant cognitive, educational, sociocultural, and economic benefits.

Students in DLI programs often outperform peers in English-only settings on standardized tests and assessments. Students are pushed to think more deeply, critically, and flexibly as they write essays and master vocabulary in both languages. Harris Elementary Principal Melissa Capilla noted that DLI students consistently perform well in academic testing.

“If we look at data school-wide, our dual immersion students always outperform everybody else,” she said.

Research also shows that learning in two languages strengthens executive function and mental flexibility and even delays cognitive decline later in life.

“There are many benefits to being bilingual. Children who are exposed to it early, their minds become more pliable. There’s even evidence that helps their social-emotional growth,” Lovio said. 

Dual immersion programs also help students understand their own heritage while appreciating others. Mireles-Olascoaga describes integrating multiple cultural perspectives in her history lessons and emphasizes the importance of students learning about their families, culture, and community.

“We do a lot of cultural activities that really tie into who they are and their history,” Mireles-Olascoaga said. “We do want to make sure that they are not only focusing on academics but focusing on how they can support their own community as well.”

This cultural connection is critical, especially in Kern County, where many students come from Spanish-speaking homes. DLI helps bridge generational divides and maintain strong family bonds. Herrera recounted how her grandchildren, fluent in Spanish and English, can meaningfully connect with their grandparents and cousins during family gatherings.

Another benefit of biliteracy is in the job market. Bilingual individuals are in increasingly high demand across several industries — from education to healthcare to government. 

“One of the reasons I got this job is because I was bilingual,” Capilla shared.

Herrera agreed, recalling her daughter’s work at a local insurance agency where being bilingual is essential to help Spanish-speaking clients navigate complex policies.

“When they have a situation or a problem that they need to resolve, they need people who speak that language,” she explained.

DLI classrooms use a strategic language split, beginning with a heavier emphasis on the non-English language in early grades — 85 percent Spanish in kindergarten at Harris Elementary, 80 percent at Mountain View, for example — and progressing to a 50/50 balance by the time students reach the upper elementary grade levels.

Ideally, classes are composed of a mix of language backgrounds: one-third English-dominant, one-third bilingual, and one-third Spanish-dominant. This mix supports language exchange and peer learning.

“Oracy is going to be really important in terms of students being able to listen and understand and being exposed to the language,” Rojas noted. “You’ll be seeing a lot of collaboration between students, and also a lot of interacting and conversations in both languages.”

Despite proven benefits, DLI programs face challenges. One major issue is a shortage of qualified bilingual teachers. Local partnerships — like the Multilingual Teacher Residency Program (KMRP) involving CSU Bakersfield, Lamont School District, and Arvin Union — are vital. The KMRP allows prospective teachers to pursue their multiple subject credential and bilingual authorization at the same time.

“That program is really going to be helpful in obtaining future bilingual teachers,” said Olascoaga.

Olascoaga, as well as 10 teachers from P-BVUSD took part in a similar post-credential CSUB program to be trained in DLI. According to Dr. Adam Sawyer, the program’s founding coordinator, more than 120 bilingual teachers statewide have been certified since it began in 2019. CSUB currently partners with BCSD, PBVUSD, GFUSD, and three districts in Tulare County.

Rojas says the need for certified teachers is massive because parents put their children on waitlists for these classes.

“Especially in the junior high, with the content areas being so specific, sometimes it’s hard to find teachers who are qualified,” Rojas explained. 

Another challenge is changing perceptions — especially among parents who may fear that learning two languages will confuse children or delay speech. Herrera doesn’t see it that way, noting that while it may take kids a little longer to get started, they soon catch up and surpass their single-language counterparts. Rojas agrees.

“We have to reassure the parents that learning two languages takes time. With the research, we know that it works if it’s set up correctly,” she said.

Herrera noted that parent advocacy has been essential. From lobbying for the Seal of Biliteracy in 2012 to organizing reading groups and volunteering in classrooms, Herrera and others have helped shape the current bilingual landscape in Kern. Rojas says Spanish-speaking parents, in particular, have wanted to volunteer and participate in the school culture and bring even more biliteracy to students. 

“It’s starting to build that culture in that community within our own district. Now, everyone’s coming together, and it’s really nice to see,” she said.

California’s Global 2030 initiative aims for half of all K–12 students to be proficient in two languages by 2030 and 75% by 2040. In 2023–24, 2,219 Kern County students from 29 schools across ten districts earned the Seal of Biliteracy, a strong step toward that goal. With more and more schools across the county adopting DLI strands in elementary and middle school, they’re paving the way for high school students to earn the seal. 

“It truly prepares them to have a wide skill set. It makes them more well-rounded citizens,” Mireles-Olascoaga said. “We’re not just teaching language; we’re preparing students to make an impact, locally and globally.”