A School Transformed
How dual-language immersion rescued a school on the brink of closure — and turned it into one of Glendale's most sought-after programs.
Franklin History
In 2007, Benjamin Franklin Elementary was on the brink of closure. The Glendale Unified School District needed a solution. A group of parents was already quietly building a case for a German dual-language immersion program — and the district's problem had just found its answer. What followed changed the school, and the community, forever.
The Story, Year by Year
A School in Crisis — and a Vision
Down to 328 students and hemorrhaging money, Franklin needed a turnaround. A group of parents had been pitching a German dual-language immersion program to the district. The superintendent saw the fit — and assembled a leadership team. They chose a 90/10 immersion model and set out to build something from scratch. Three major obstacles stood in the way:
Curriculum
A German DLI curriculum meeting California standards didn't exist. Books sourced from Europe still didn't cover all state requirements. Franklin designed much of it from scratch.
Teachers
Candidates needed verbal, textual, and cultural fluency. Finding credentialed teachers with high proficiency in both the target language and English was a challenge, notes Dr. Nancy Hong, director of GUSD's dual-language immersion and magnet programs. The district was also looking for educators who believed in DLI and were willing to put in the extra work required to shepherd the program. They searched far and wide — and even placed an ad on Craigslist.
Families
Staff put flyers in Starbucks, advertised in magazines, and walked the town to spread the word and recruit interested families for the new program.
"We wanted this program to be state of the art, top of the line, innovative, creative, and dynamic — so we had to design much of it ourselves."
Stephen Williams — Franklin PrincipalThe Pioneer Class
After a year of planning, curriculum-building, recruiting, and community outreach, Franklin's first dual-language immersion program — in German — opened its doors. The teachers carried the program on their backs.
"The teachers were our heroes. They were so passionate about it and really gave their all."
Ana Jones — Teacher SpecialistTwo More Languages Join the Family
A group of parents made a case for Italian. Principal Williams set a challenge: bring 24 enrolled families, and he'd start the program. They delivered. Recognizing its large Spanish-speaking community, GUSD also added Spanish, making Franklin a three-language campus in just its second year of DLI. Teachers needed supplementary training and additional prep time — and at 2–4% more per student, DLI programs cost more to run. Help was on the way.
"Everything was very new and things were kind of being invented as you went."
Hillary Stern — Franklin ParentA Grant — and Demand Beyond All Expectation
GUSD won a $7.5 million federal grant to convert three elementary schools into magnets. Franklin, along with Mark Keppel and Thomas Edison, was chosen to receive the funds. The magnet designation required the schools to accept students both from the local community and beyond — so GUSD introduced a lottery to create an equitable opportunity for admission. The district worried it couldn't fill 93 seats. Instead, it got a waitlist of over 200 students. The influx of grant money also made it possible to add a fourth language.
French Arrives — Franklin Becomes Something Rare
With the first French kindergarten class walking through the gate in 2012, Franklin achieved a milestone almost unheard of in American public education: it became a 100% dual-language immersion campus. The English-only program, which had dwindled to just 6 families, was no longer needed.
Students Who Outperform — Even on English Tests
By fourth and fifth grade, Franklin students are outperforming their counterparts at English-only schools across all measures — including English test scores. Out-of-district permits bring in funding that benefits all of Glendale Unified. And every Franklin graduate leaves with a bilingual, biliterate, and multicultural education that opens doors for life.
Franklin's DLI Programs
This little school, this quiet little gem that just existed in the community… It was a quiet little secret. Now, the secret's out and everyone wants to come here.Stephen Williams — Franklin Principal, 2007–2012