Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in Anaheim will start this summer Orange County’s first Korean dual-language immersion program.
Korean was chosen based on input from the community and because there is a strong Korean community in the county, district officials said. Anaheim is the third largest city in the nation with a Korean-speaking population.
The Korean immersion program will launch this summer at the Anaheim Elementary School District campus.
“We are excited that AESD will be pioneering the first Korean dual-language immersion program in Orange County,” said district Superintendent Christopher Downing. “Our district is committed to creating the best learning opportunities possible for our students.”
The Korean language is considered a critical language by the State Department and is also a key language is the business world, with South Korea having the 11th largest economy in world and a burgeoning prominence in the field of technology, district officials said.
The opportunity for students to learn Korean will give them a distinguished skill set and a competitive edge in the 21st century global economy, they said.
“Dual language programs are on the rise in California, and for good reason. We are proud to offer this wonderful opportunity to our students to gain proficiency in a second language as well as receive a world-class STEAM education”, said Dr. Sandra Song, principal at Jefferson Elementary School, who herself studied Korean as a child.
Across Orange County, 10 dual-language immersion programs debuted at the start of the current school year. At least three more will be added for 2019-20.
Here is a list of the current programs offered across the county.
| District | School | Language |
| Anaheim Elementary | Juarez Elementary School | Spanish |
| Anaheim Elementary | Lincoln Elementary School | Spanish |
| Anaheim Elementary | Mann Elementary School | Spanish |
| Anaheim Elementary | Ponderosa Elementary School | Spanish |
| Anaheim Elementary | Price Elementary School | Spanish |
| Anaheim Elementary | Palm Lane Elementary School | Spanish |
| Anaheim Union High | Anaheim High School | Spanish |
| Anaheim Union High | Sycamore Jr. High School | Spanish |
| Capistrano Unified | Las Palmas Elementary School | Spanish |
| Capistrano Unified | Marian Bergeson Elementary School | Mandarin Chinese |
| Capistrano Unified | San Juan Elementary School | Spanish |
| Capistrano Unified | Viejo Elementary School | Spanish |
| Capistrano Unified | Bernice Ayer Middle School | Spanish |
| Capistrano Unified | Marco Forster Middle School | Spanish |
| Capistrano Unified | San Clemente High School | Spanish |
| Capistrano Unified | San Juan Hills High School | Spanish |
| Fullerton Elementary | Raymond Elementary | Spanish |
| Garden Grove Unified | Monroe Elementary | Spanish |
| Garden Grove Unified | Murdy Elementary | Vietnamese |
| La Habra City | Arbolita Elementary | Spanish |
| Magnolia | Dr. Peter Marshall | Spanish |
| Newport-Mesa Unified | College Park Elementary | Mandarin Chinese |
| Newport-Mesa Unified | Whittier Elementary | Spanish |
| Orange Unified | California Elementary School | Spanish |
| Orange Unified | Fletcher Elementary School | Mandarin Chinese |
| Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | Glenview Elementary | Spanish |
| Saddleback Valley Unified | Ralph A. Gates Elementary | Spanish |
| Santa Ana Unified | Thomas Jefferson Elementary | Spanish |
| Santa Ana Unified | Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary | Spanish |
| Santa Ana Unified | James Russell Lowell Elementary | Spanish |
| Santa Ana Unified | Pio Pico Elementary | Spanish |
| Santa Ana Unified | Romero Cruz Unified | Spanish |
| Santa Ana Unified | OC Educational Arts Academy | Spanish |
| Santa Ana Unified | El Sol Science & Arts Academy | Spanish |
| Tustin Unified | Veeh Elementary | Spanish |
| Westminster | Demille Elementary School | Vietnamese |
| Westminster | Willmore Elementary School | Spanish |