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Articles

Vol. 7 No. 3 (2021): Journal of Leadership, Equity, and Research

It Is Not If, But When: Organizational and Leadership Recommendations for The Upcoming Demand for Expanded Dl Programs and Their Articulation

Submitted
July 9, 2021
Published
2021-07-24

Abstract

Within a policy climate that is permissive to Dual Language (DL) programs in California and within the social context of the ongoing gentrification of those programs, this case study explored the leadership and organizational structures required to expand DL programs beyond the elementary years. We asked: (1) What organizational arrangements may favor educational success in expanded K-12 pathways? (2) What leadership moves promote the development of cohesion and coherence within and across DL programs? Data collection included interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations with administrators, teachers, parents and students across all 8 DL schools in a large urban school district in California. The primary organizational issues that impacted the program's success were a lack of articulation, a problematic DL middle school experience, weak relational trust, and an absence of professional learning and collaboration opportunities. In anticipation of an increased DL program demand, recommendations based on social justice and programmatic coherence are offered and discussed.