Tustin International Charter School

Our Proposed Programs

Our innovative Mandarin immersion program follows a balanced 50-50 model, with students spending half the day learning in Mandarin and half in English. This approach ensures students develop strong academic competency and advanced proficiency in both languages.

Mandarin Immersion

The Common Core State Standards would be delivered in both Mandarin and English through our partial immersion model. Starting with a 50:50 ratio in early grades, we would gradually adjust the balance as students progress, developing academic competency in both languages.

Inquiry-Based Learning

Students would engage in collaborative, experiential, and interdisciplinary STEAM projects to investigate and respond to real-world questions, problems, and challenges. These meaningful projects would integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics into a single focus to create unique solutions.

Social-Emotional Learning

To thrive in our 21st century interconnected world, students need both strong academic foundations and well-developed social-emotional competencies, including self-awareness, self-management, and self-direction. We would integrate these essential skills through our PBIS program, providing daily opportunities for practice and growth throughout the school day.

Language, Content, and Culture Integration

Integrating Language, Content, and Culture

Teachers would use thematically organized units to design lessons that are culturally rich and cognitively engaging. Students would build, reinforce, and expand their knowledge of other disciplines while using Mandarin. They would interact with authentic resources, exploring Chinese cultural products, practices, and perspectives, and have opportunities to communicate with native Mandarin speakers through language exchange programs.

Technology in the Classroom

To increase learning opportunities for all pupils and offer a more personalized approach, we would use technology such as Google Classroom or Canvas on a daily basis. This would enable us to offer differentiated learning activities to meet individual student needs through flexible grouping and blended learning, ensuring every student receives instruction tailored to their unique learning style and pace.

YOU: Family Involvement

Parents and guardians are vital partners in our educational mission. We would create abundant opportunities for families to volunteer in classrooms, participate in cultural events, and support language learning at home. Through regular workshops, family language nights, and collaborative projects, we would ensure families are meaningfully integrated into their child's bilingual journey, fostering a vibrant community of learners that extends beyond the classroom walls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about our proposed Mandarin immersion charter school, its programs, and enrollment process.

What is the current status of Tustin International Charter School?

TICS is currently a proposed charter school. Our petition was submitted to the Tustin Unified School District Board of Education on November 1st, 2023. We are seeking approval to open for the 2025-2026 academic year. This website outlines our vision for the school and the educational experience we aim to provide if approved.

What grades would Tustin International Charter School serve?

If approved, TICS would serve students from Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through 5th grade. Our inaugural academic year (2025-2026) would include one Transitional Kindergarten class, two sections each for kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade, followed by a single section for both 3rd and 4th grades.

How would the Mandarin immersion program work?

Our program would implement a balanced 50-50 model, where students spend half the day learning in Mandarin and half in English during the first three years.

Common Core State Standards would be taught in both languages, with the goal of developing strong academic competency and advanced proficiency in both English and Mandarin.

What are the benefits of a Mandarin immersion education?

Students in our proposed Mandarin immersion program would benefit in multiple ways:

Development of high-level language proficiency in the world's most widely spoken language
Enhanced cognitive flexibility, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
Improved academic performance across all subject areas
Cultural competence and global perspective
Valuable job skills for the global marketplace
Deeper appreciation for cultural diversity

Research shows that bilingualism is linked to improved cognitive development and academic performance.

What teaching methods would TICS use?

Our proposed educational approach would combine several innovative methods:

Inquiry-Based Learning: Students would engage in collaborative, experiential projects to investigate real-world questions and challenges
STEAM Framework: Integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics into interdisciplinary projects
Social-Emotional Learning: Development of self-awareness, self-management, and self-direction skills
Technology Integration: Daily use of educational technology to offer differentiated learning activities through flexible grouping and blended learning

How would TICS integrate language, content, and culture?

Our teachers would use thematically organized units to design lessons that are culturally rich and cognitively engaging. This would create a context in which learners use their language skills to learn more about Chinese culture and the world they live in.

Students would build, reinforce, and expand their knowledge of other disciplines and the world while using Mandarin. They would interact frequently with authentic resources, exploring the products, practices, and perspectives of Chinese culture. They would have opportunities to communicate and interact appropriately with native Mandarin speakers through language exchange programs organized by the school.

How would technology be used in the classroom?

Technology would be an integral part of our educational approach. To increase learning opportunities for all pupils and offer a more personalized approach, we would use platforms such as Google Classroom or Canvas on a daily basis on campus.

This technology integration would allow us to:

Offer differentiated learning activities to meet individual student needs
Implement flexible grouping based on student progress and learning styles
Facilitate blended learning approaches that combine traditional and digital instruction
Provide immediate feedback and assessment data to guide instruction
Create opportunities for collaborative projects across languages

Our goal would be to use technology not as a replacement for quality teaching, but as a tool to enhance and personalize the learning experience for each student.

How can families be involved in their child's education at TICS?

Family involvement would be a cornerstone of our educational approach. We believe that parents and guardians are essential partners in their child's bilingual journey. We would offer multiple ways for families to participate:

Classroom volunteering opportunities to support learning activities
Cultural celebrations and events where families can share traditions
Parent workshops on supporting language development at home
Family language nights where parents learn alongside their children
A parent advisory committee to provide input on school programs
Regular communication through newsletters, language-appropriate resources, and parent-teacher conferences

By creating a strong school-home connection, we would ensure that language learning extends beyond the classroom and becomes integrated into family life, reinforcing both language skills and cultural appreciation.

Who could attend TICS if approved?

If approved, TICS would be a public charter school open to all students who wish to attend. No prior knowledge of Mandarin would be required to enroll. If we receive more applications than available spaces, admission would be determined through a public random drawing (lottery) process, with preferences given as required by Education Code.

As a public charter school, TICS would not charge tuition and would not discriminate based on any protected characteristics including disability, gender, nationality, race, ethnicity, or religion.

How can I support this charter school petition?

There are several ways you can support our petition:

Contact us to sign our petition of support
Attend Tustin Unified School District Board meetings where the charter is discussed
Share information about our proposed school with other families who might be interested
Volunteer your expertise if you have experience in education, language instruction, or school operations

Please reach out to us via the contact information below if you'd like to get involved.

When would the school open if approved?

If our charter petition is approved, we plan to open Tustin International Charter School for the 2025-2026 academic year, beginning in July 2025. The exact timeline for enrollment and other pre-opening activities would be communicated once approval is received.