At A Glance

Since fall of 1998, the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) has offered the students of this district a unique educational opportunity centered on dual language proficiency and biliteracy development. This alternative program, the Cupertino Language Immersion Program (CLIP) helps prepare our students for their future social, academic and career challenges and opportunities through spoken and written mastery of a second language.

Immersion Education
Immersion education is an exciting and innovative program in which children develop the ability to speak, read, and write in English and in a second language. In this type of program, children learn in a very stimulating and creative way leading to intellectual flexibility and high academic achievement. Knowledge of more than one language and culture is becoming more and more important for our children’s full participation in a culturally and linguistically diverse world.

CLIP Mission Statement
To give students of Cupertino Union School District the opportunity to develop high levels of proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing English and another target language. These students will be able to communicate effectively in both languages, and achieve proficiency in subjects that will meet or exceed district guidelines. This program is based on the two-way language immersion model where the target language is a vehicle of instruction, not the focus.

CLIP Program
Presently the target language is Mandarin. The Mandarin Immersion Program began in 1998-1999 academic year with one kindergarten class. Starting in August 2006 this program had included kindergarten through eighth grade. This program has been taught using a two-way immersion model where a portion of a student’s day is spent learning in English and the other portion spent learning in Mandarin. Planning is underway on the extension into high school.

CLIP Funding
Although CUSD supports the program with teachers, facilities, and the English portion of the program, all aspects of the Mandarin portion of the curriculum has been financed by outside sources. Instructional aides in the classrooms, teachers’ salaries for curriculum development, and all Mandarin specific classroom teaching materials (books, posters, workbooks, writing materials) have primarily been financed through federal and state grants and direct donation by the parents and supporters of the program,. Other items funded by grants, parents, and supporters include the Mandarin specific classroom equipment (PCs and related Mandarin software), Chinese cultural and enrichment activities (calligraphy, Cirrus Dance), and the hiring of grant writers.

CLIP Parents
As in any other Cupertino schools, parents are an integral part of the children’s education. To continually grow and improve our program, parents are highly encouraged to join various CLIP committees, volunteer in the classrooms, and assist the teachers and administrators as needed. Parents are also actively involved in the recruitment of students into the program, fundraising, and developing programs with the school district that culturally augment the curriculum being taught.