Parents upset over school district s decision to cut Mandarin Chinese language immersion program
Parents fighting to save Mandarin Chinese immersion program
Some parents with kids in the program say district officials notified them via a dial-out message that the Mandarin Chinese language program was being cut. They also say the district has been less than transparent about their decision to cut the program.
PHOENIX - Parents of students enrolled in a special Mandarin Immersion Program offered by the Cave Creek Unified School District are not happy, as the program is expected to get cut by the district due to budgetary reasons.
The Cave Creek Unified School District is keenly aware of the challenges faced across America in 2020 resulting from COVID – 19. Many sectors of the economy have suffered because of closures, quarantines, and the associated effects of the pandemic. The Cave Creek Unified School District is no exception.
In January 2020, enrollment in the District was 5,488, and today, enrollment is approximately 5,100 or a decrease of approximately 400 students. Since the number of students attending school dictates the District’s budget, the District is facing a potential budget shortfall in fiscal year 2022 of approximately $4.1 million dollars, which represents a budget reduction of over 11%. This would be difficult in anyone’s budget but especially difficult when salary and benefits for employees equal 80% of the district’s operating budget.