Mission & History

Mission

The mission of Yinghua Academy is to prepare our students to be engaged and productive global citizens by providing a research-based educational program that includes a rigorous academic program, immersion in Chinese language and culture, and a nurturing and supportive school environment.

History

Founded in 2006, Yinghua Academy became the first Chinese immersion charter public school in the United States.  In the fall of 2006, 79 students walked through the doors of Yinghua Academy. Today, we have around 380 students enrolled, and our school has grown from a K – 5 elementary to a K – 8 elementary and middle school program.

As the first school of its kind in the United States, Yinghua Academy has emerged as a leader in Chinese immersion education. The school’s curriculum development department creates cutting-edge curriculum recognized nationally and internationally for its effectiveness, leading to bi-literacy in Mandarin Chinese and English for all students. Our curriculum covers all Minnesota State Standards and the Core Knowledge Sequence, building both subject area knowledge and Mandarin fluency from year to year.

Yinghua administrators are recognized as leaders on the forefront of language immersion education.  They have been invited to speak at many conferences, including the American Council for Teaching Foreign Language and the National Chinese Language Conference.

Yinghua is proud to be the recipient of prestigious grants, national press and international attention.  Highlights are:

  • In 2009, the U.S. Department of Education awarded an $811,265 Foreign Language Assistance Program grant to support the development of the Middle School Program.
  • In 2009, Yinghua Academy was featured in a TIME magazine article which spurred blog activity across the US and in China.
  • During the 2009-10 academic year, the Asia Society released a video on language immersion programs which included a feature on Yinghua Academy and was distributed worldwide.
  • In 2007, the State of Minnesota awarded a $100,000 World Language grant to support the development of the Elementary School Program.