Families in the east side communities of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) are urging the district to expand access to its Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program by opening a classroom at Mira Catalina Elementary School. Parents say the current structure gives priority to students in wealthier neighborhoods while limiting opportunities for more diverse and less affluent families, particularly in the Eastview area.

PVPUSD is a public K–12 district located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County and serves the four Peninsula cities — Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates. The district is known for strong test scores, high graduation rates, and well-resourced schools, according to Public Schools Review.

Although PVPUSD is generally perceived as a wealthy school district, that characterization does not fully reflect the socioeconomic diversity of the east side of the peninsula. Parent advocates say educational opportunities and resources are not evenly distributed across all school sites, and are calling for greater equity in access to DLI programs.

“We believe the east side of Palos Verdes is missing a DLI program, and it is time for those opportunities to be expanded to our community as well,” said a parent from Mira Catalina Elementary who requested anonymity. “The district said it wanted to evaluate the DLI program at Lunada Bay before considering expansion, and the results appear to be positive. Our community is asking for equal access to the same educational opportunities available in other parts of the district.”

DLI programs teach academic subjects in two languages over multiple years with the goal of developing bilingualism, biliteracy, and cross-cultural competency while meeting standard academic benchmarks. Instruction is divided between the two languages, in this case Spanish and English. DLI programs typically begin in transitional kindergarten and continue through eighth grade, with some coursework extending through twelfth grade.

For many parents, the appeal of DLI programs extends beyond language acquisition to the long-term academic and social advantages associated with multilingualism. Research suggests that multilingualism is linked to both cognitive and academic benefits, with studies indicating that learning additional languages can strengthen attention, working memory, and cognitive control. Multilingual individuals also often perform better on tasks that require focus and switching between competing demands. In addition, studies suggest that students who maintain their home language while developing English proficiency may experience higher levels of educational attainment, including increased college enrollment. Research also indicates that bilingual skills can provide labor market advantages, including in some cases higher earnings and expanded job opportunities.

The parent we spoke with highlighted those benefits, noting that “the district itself promotes this, even on its social media.” She added that, in her experience, speaking both English and Spanish has opened professional opportunities, including working with teams in Argentina and Mexico and advancing into leadership positions because of her language skills.

Those are the kinds of opportunities Mira Catalina parents say they want for their children.

“But also, I am proud to be Hispanic, and I want my children to also feel proud of their roots, and right now the program feels very disconnected from Hispanic students,” she said.

Currently, the district’s DLI program is housed exclusively at Lunada Bay Elementary School, a public K-5 elementary school in Palos Verdes Estates, an area widely regarded as one of the more affluent communities on the peninsula, according to U.S. Census and local real estate data.

According to the parent, in 2023 the district opened a lottery for the DLI program at both Lunada Bay and Mira Catalina. However, the district later said it did not see enough interest to support two separate programs and decided to combine them into a single program at Lunada Bay.

“But perhaps there was not enough outreach or clear communication to parents about what the program involved, and that is why they did not receive the level of interest they expected,” she said. “Right now, I can say there are enough families at our school who want this program.”

Tensions increased after the district approved a second DLI cohort at Lunada Bay Elementary. On April 17, 2026 students at Lunada Bay were notified of acceptance into Dual Immersion. According to the parent, a few Lunada Bay zoned students did not get in the upcoming Dual Immersion program. Within 10 days, by April 27, 2026, it was announced that a second Dual Immersion class was opening at Lunada Bay.

In an email to a Mira Catalina parent, PVPUSD Superintendent Devin Serrano wrote: “At this time, the District is not considering adding a Dual Immersion program at Mira Catalina. Based on research and site visits, the most effective model includes two classrooms per grade level, which supports teacher collaboration and stronger instructional outcomes. We are pleased to offer two kindergarten Dual Immersion classes at Lunada Bay next year. The site is also being staffed with dual immersion–credentialed RtI teachers and enhanced special education supports, which would not be feasible across a second campus in the coming year. Lunada Bay’s central location and the goal of increasing enrollment were also factors in the program’s placement, and that goal has been achieved.”

However, east-side parents say Lunada Bay is difficult to reach, pointing to the distance and a road they describe as dangerous. They argue the second DLI cohort should have been opened at Mira Catalina Elementary School, as previously discussed. Families involved in the effort say district officials have repeatedly cited staffing challenges and difficulty hiring qualified teachers as reasons the program has not been established at the east-side campus. They also argue that a DLI program at Mira Catalina would serve not only their own students but also families at nearby Dapplegray Elementary School.

To press their case, families have circulated a sign-on letter to the district’s Board of Education calling for a Dual Language Immersion classroom at Mira Catalina Elementary and raised concerns about equity, transparency, enrollment access, and resource allocation within the district.

The letter represents families from Mira Catalina Elementary, Dapplegray Elementary School, and nearby communities who say they have advocated for expanded DLI access for more than a year.

Parents supporting the effort say they plan to continue gathering signatures and speaking at school board meetings in hopes of expanding access to multilingual education across the district.