Palm Springs Unified Launches Dual Immersion Program in Desert Hot Springs

In a world where speaking more than one language opens doors, the Palm Springs Unified School District is stepping up to prepare students for a global future. For the first time, the district is launching a dual immersion program in Desert Hot Springs, where students will learn English and Spanish side by side.

NBC Palm Springs reporter Alondra Campos visited Two Bunch Palms Elementary School, where the program is now underway, and spoke with educators about the long-term benefits for students and the community.

The dual immersion model starts from transitional kindergarten and follows students through high school, with the goal of building bilingual and biliterate graduates. In the early grades, 90% of classroom instruction is in Spanish and 10% in English. By fifth grade, the model evens out to 50-50, allowing students to be assessed and perform in both languages.

“Our students are going to learn both languages and be proficient in speaking, listening, reading, and writing,” one district official said. “But just as important is the focus on sociocultural competence—learning to appreciate both their own culture and those of their peers.”

For many in the Desert Hot Springs community, this program is deeply personal. In decades past, Spanish and other languages were discouraged or even banned in public schools. Now, the program is seen as a step toward educational equity and cultural recognition.

“This is a reparation for the community,” said one administrator. “It’s an opportunity to embrace linguistic identities.”

Ms. Serrano, a dual immersion teacher at Two Bunch Palms, shared how the program resonates with her own upbringing. “My parents are from Mexico, and Spanish was our home language,” she said. “But because schools were 100% English back then, I lost much of my Spanish. This program helps students hold onto both.”

The district will host an informational session for families at Two Bunch Palms Elementary and via Zoom on Thursday, May 22, to answer questions and explain the curriculum.

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