Community Support
We Are Not Alone
Community leaders standing with us to make this school happen.
SFUSD committed to launching a Mandarin immersion K–8 school for the 2027–2028 school year. We are the parents and community members making sure it happens.
Get updates on our progress, upcoming events, and how you can help make this school happen.
Our city has a proud legacy of language immersion education. Alice Fong Yu was the first public Chinese immersion school in the country and Chinese American International School was the first Mandarin immersion school of any kind in the nation.
Every year, roughly 400 families apply for just 66 seats for Mandarin Immersion Kindergarten at Starr King and Jose Ortega elementary schools. The demand far outpaces supply, and families are turned away every year.
SFUSD has committed to opening a dedicated Mandarin Immersion K–8 school in fall 2027. 700+ families have already expressed interest. Liana Szeto, founding principal of Alice Fong Yu, is leading the charge. The board must formally approve the school by September 2026. This is our window.
We hold monthly meetings with district leadership. Together, we’ve identified the areas where our group can have the most impact:
Keeping families connected and informed about progress, timelines, and ways to get involved as the school takes shape.
Finding exceptional Mandarin immersion educators who share our vision for world-class bilingual education. View the job description →
Rallying community resources to ensure the school opens with the programs, materials, and support our children deserve.
Pushing SFUSD to meet its September 2026 Board deadline — the vote that determines whether the school opens in 2027–2028.
Community leaders standing with us to make this school happen.