Chino Valley Unified kindergarten students will have to wait another year to learn how to speak Mandarin. A recent decision by district board members reversed the
implementation of a foreign-language academy to begin in the fall and
instead would bring it back in the spring for review.

The academy would have had kindergartners learning Mandarin beginning this fall. Mandarin is being taught as an elective at Ayala and Chino Hills high schools.

The program is designed to provide academic enrichment while
drawing new students into their schools and assist the cash-strapped
district. According to the district’s staff report, this program was
approved in an attempt to address the on-going decrease in enrollment of
about 500 students each year.

Public schools are funded by the state based on student attendance. More students equal more money.