Assemblyman Ron Kim and Assemblyman Edward Braunstein are spearheading a push to expand the Korean Dual Language program to other schools in the area.
Kim, the first Korean-American elected official in New York, and Braunstein, whose district had a large Korean-American population, say the dual language programs have mostly been limited to Spanish and Chinese.
Currently, the only Korean Dual Language program available in New York is at PS 32, but it ends after the 5th grade. In a meeting with DOE officials, Kim and Braunstein said they want the program to expand, especially in neighborhoods like Flushing, Whitestone and Bayside.
Here’s what Kim had to say about the program:
“Limited choice can prevent otherwise interested parents from enrolling their kids in enormously beneficial dual language programs. As a Korean-American whose two daughters will likely grow up speaking English, Korean and Chinese, the importance of this kind of education is clear to me. The current program at PS 32 is a good start, but remains limited; it’s the only Korean dual language program in the whole city and ends after elementary school. By the time its participants graduate from high school, many may already forget what they learned. They should be offered a chance to continue their bilingual education, and their peers who live in other similar school districts should have an equal opportunity to enroll in these valuable programs.”