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The purpose of this qualitative/descriptive study was to develop an effective and efficient training model for elementary school administrators new to dual language programs in the Los Angeles Unified School District based on the District's current conditions and requirements, while maximizing the District's financial and personnel resources, through review of literature and interviews of both experienced elementary school dual language program administrators and elementary school administrators new to dual language programs in the District.
In developing the training model, this study focused on the knowledge administrators new to the program must have in order to effectively implement dual language programs in the District particularly during their 1st year of implementation (with focus on training content), as well as how to best design and deliver training content to administrators for optimal learning (with focus on training structure and procedure), employing the following research questions: (1) According to research, what theoretical constructs do elementary school administrators need to know to implement and administer a successful dual? (2) What do experienced elementary school dual language program administrators in the Los Angeles Unified School District believe to be the 5 most critical areas that should be addressed in training of administrators new to dual language programs? (3) What do elementary school administrators new to dual language programs in the District believe to be the 5 most critical areas of need that should be addressed in training administrators new to dual language programs for successful first year program implementation in the District? (4) According to research, what are the critical elements of curriculum that should be included in designing a training curriculum for elementary school administrators? (5) According to research, what major elements of an evaluation system should be included in a training curriculum for a dual language training program?
The implications of this study are significant from various standpoints. This training will serve to address the needs of administrators new to dual language programs in LAUSD as they provide high quality education to students in dual language programs, create a training model for future trainings for administrators in LAUSD, and serve as a dual language program training model for administrators and teachers in other urban school districts with similar conditions as LAUSD.