The Los Angeles Community College District is adding new Spanish-language classes to the curriculum at its schools, including Los Angeles City College. (photo courtesy of Los Angeles City College Foundation)

In an effort to remove barriers to education and increase access to life-long learning skills, Los Angeles Community College District is piloting a new Winter Session program to teach select classes in Spanish. The pilot program, called In-Language Learning, is in response to a 2019 American Community Survey which found that 2.2 million Los Angeles residents speak English “less than well,” which poses a hindrance to their education. With 23 classes across six of the nine college campuses starting Jan. 3, the program hopes to clear this hurdle.

The pilot program includes classes on computer basics, healthcare, child development, nutrition, English as a second language, GED preparation and workplace success. The programming aims to provide an educational foundation for further career exploration and skill development. To meet further demand, LACCD hopes to expand classes to other languages in the spring semester.

For information, visit laccd.edu/ About/Pages/inlanguagelearningclasses.aspx.